England will host Sri Lanka in a three-match Test series starting Wednesday in Manchester.
The Test series will be vital for both sides as they aim to improve on their standings in the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2023-25 cycle. Sri Lanka are currently placed third after featuring in four Tests this cycle. They have won two while losing as many Tests to gain a points percentage (PCT) of 50.0. Meanwhile, England are ranked seventh with six wins in 13 matches.
England will be without regular captain Ben Stokes as Ollie Pope will take charge in his absence due to an injury. Harry Brook has been named deputy of the side. England recently whitewashed West Indies 3-0 at home while Sri Lanka beat Bangladesh 2-0 earlier this year.
The hosts on Monday announced their Playing XI for the first Test with Matthew Potts and Dan Lawrence replacing Stokes and opener Zak Crawley.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka lost their preparatory tour game against an inexperienced England Lions side in Worcester last week. The visitors lost by seven wickets in the four-day game.
England Playing XI for 1st Test vs Sri Lanka: Dan Lawrence, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook (vice-captain), Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Mark Wood, Shoaib Bashir
England squad for 1st Test vs Sri Lanka: Ollie Pope (captain), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.
Sri Lanka squad for England Test series: Dhananjaya de Silva (c), Dimuth Karunaratne, Nishan Madushka, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (vc), Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kamindu Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Asitha Fernando, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lahiru Kumara, Nisala Tharaka, Prabath Jayasuriya, Ramesh Mendis, Jeffrey Vandersay, Milan Rathnayake.
21-25 August, 2024: 1st Test, Old Trafford, Manchester
29 August – 2 September 2024: 2nd Test, Lord’s – London
6-10 September 2024: 3rd Test, The Oval – London
The England vs Sri Lanka Test series will be telecast on the Sony Sports network and streamed through the SonyLiv App in India.
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