Injury Concern Emerges For England Before Pakistan Test Series

England have suffered an injury concern just 24 hours after naming their squad for the opening two Tests against Pakistan, with Emilio Gay forced to leave the field while playing for Durham.

The opener picked up a shoulder problem during Durham’s One-Day Cup game against Middlesex at Chester-le-Street and could not continue his innings.

Gay had already stepped into England’s side this summer after Zak Crawley was replaced for the New Zealand series. However, his latest injury could now leave England waiting for an update on his fitness.

The left-handed batter first noticed something was wrong with his right shoulder in the sixth over. His condition appeared to worsen one over later when he played a straight drive against Toby Roland-Jones.

Durham’s medical staff quickly checked on Gay before helping him walk off the field. He managed just 9 runs from 17 deliveries before retiring hurt.

Durham later confirmed that Gay would not take any further part in the match. The 25-year-old is expected to have a scan over the weekend, which should give a clearer picture of the injury and whether it could affect his availability for the upcoming Pakistan Tests.

England may now need to look for another opening batter if Gay’s injury turns out to be serious. New Test head coach Stephen Fleming had a role in picking the squad alongside returning captain Joe Root. They could now have to work again with men's selector Marcus North and managing director Rob Key to find another option.

At the moment, England do not have an obvious replacement for Gay to partner Ben Duckett at the top of the order. Ollie Pope is the only extra batter in the squad, while Dan Lawrence has some experience in the role.

Lawrence opened in three Tests against Sri Lanka in 2024 after Crawley missed the series with a broken finger. However, he scored only 20 runs on average across his six innings and was later dropped from the squad before being recalled this week.

England’s home series against Pakistan will begin on August 19, marking Joe Root’s first assignment as captain since returning to the role. The first Test will be played at Headingley and will run until August 23.

England Squad for First Two Tests Against Pakistan

Joe Root (c), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith and Josh Tongue.

England vs Pakistan Series Schedule

• First Test: August 19-23 – Headingley
• Second Test: August 27-31 – Lord's
• Third Test: September 9-13 – Edgbaston