England fast bowler Josh Hull has been sidelined from next month’s Test tour of Pakistan due to a quad injury, the team management confirmed on Thursday. The 20-year-old left-arm pacer from Leicestershire has also missed the ongoing white-ball series against Australia, having sustained the injury during his Test debut against Sri Lanka at the Oval earlier this month.
An England spokesperson announced that Hull will continue his recovery process, and no replacement has been called up, leaving the squad at 16 players for the upcoming three-Test series starting in Multan on October 7.
Standing at 6 feet 7 inches (2 meters), Hull was a surprising inclusion for the third Test against Sri Lanka, having taken just two wickets in the second division of this season’s County Championship at a costly average of 182.50. Despite his limited success, he delivered respectable match figures of 3-91 during the Sri Lanka match, although England ultimately lost the series 2-1.
Hull’s injury means he will now focus on regaining fitness for England’s white-ball tour of the Caribbean in late October and November, which precedes a Test series against New Zealand in December.
With Hull unavailable, Chris Woakes, Matthew Potts, Olly Stone, Gus Atkinson, and Brydon Carse will compete for spots in England’s pace attack for the series in Pakistan.
Additionally, captain Ben Stokes is not expected to bowl at the beginning of the series, but a statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board indicated that he “remains on track” to lead the team following a hamstring tear sustained during The Hundred last month.
Revised England Squad for Three-Test Tour of Pakistan:
- Ben Stokes (captain)
- Rehan Ahmed
- Gus Atkinson
- Shoaib Bashir
- Harry Brook
- Brydon Carse
- Jordan Cox
- Zak Crawley
- Ben Duckett
- Jack Leach
- Ollie Pope
- Matthew Potts
- Joe Root
- Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper)
- Olly Stone
- Chris Woakes
