Keaton Jennings will be given a third crack at Test cricket after Alex Lees became the first casualty of the Bazball era.
Opener Lees missed out on any sort of central contract on Tuesday which signposted his likely lack of international cricket over the next 12 months and the axe has fallen swiftly for the three match Pakistan tour in November/December. His return of 453 runs from 10 matches at an average of 23.8 left him vulnerable to the chop.
There is a first call up for Surrey’s 23-year-old spinning all rounder Will Jacks who will tour as back up to Liam Livingstone who has earned a second Test squad call up and is certain to make his debut on this trip.
With Lees dumped by skipper Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon 'Baz' McCullum it clears the way for Jennings to have another tilt at the longest format after a stellar summer for Lancashire where he topped the Division One run scoring charts with 1,233 runs at 72.52 and five tons. In 17 previous Tests across two stints Jennings averaged just 25.19 but he did score two hundreds on the subcontinent which should help on his first England tour to Pakistan.
There is a recall too for Ben Duckett, who played the last of his four Tests in India in 2016, but who has been a consistent performer for Notts in red ball cricket, and is back in the England fold with the white ball after playing in Pakistan earlier this month.
And his attacking style, especially against spin using the sweep and reverse sweep to great effect will be actively encouraged in the new setup. “Test cricket is right at the top for me,” admitted 27-year-old Duckett on his return from Pakistan.
“This year playing for a good Notts side I have loved playing red ball cricket. It’s always tough in the red ball stuff but I’ve always felt I’ve been pretty good in that format and gone ok in it.
“I potentially played my first Tests in the hardest conditions you can find in international cricket. You can’t physically prepare any 20, 21-year-old for those conditions. In the one Test innings I did well in, I went and switch hit the bowler in the third over and in the Test team now, that is encouraged.”
The selection of Livingstone as the second spinner behind Jack Leach is a hugely positive one and in keeping with the attacking instincts of Stokes and McCullum. He might be one of the most destructive T20 batters in the world but he has a proper first class pedigree behind him, and his ability to bowl both off spin and leg spin to order is a rare treat.
James Anderson leads the pace attack along with Ollie Robinson and the returning Mark Wood with Stuart Broad not considered due to the impending arrival of his first child.
Managing director of cricket Rob Key said: “We are looking forward to touring Pakistan as a Test team for the first time since 2005. It will be a historic tour and a compelling series against a good side.
“The selectors have picked a squad for the conditions we can expect in Pakistan. There is a strong blend of youth and experience and players who will adapt well to the types of pitches we are likely to get across the three-match series.”
England Men's Test squad: Ben Stokes (Durham) captain, James Anderson (Lancashire), Harry Brook (Yorkshire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Will Jacks (Surrey), Keaton Jennings (Lancashire), Jack Leach (Somerset), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Jamie Overton (Surrey), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Mark Wood (Durham)
