Ben Stokes leads brand-new England ODI squad, featuring raft of uncapped players

The dramatic changes come following the news that three players and four support staff members from the ODI party that beat Sri Lanka have tested positive for Covid-19

England have named six uncapped players in a rapidly-assembled ODI squad for the upcoming series against Pakistan, after the initial group – due to be unchanged from the party that beat Sri Lanka – was forced to isolate after three players and four support staff members tested positive for Covid-19.

Ben Stokes returns to the international fold after recovering from a broken finger and will captain the side, while Dawid Malan – who was originally part of the squad for the Sri Lanka series but left the bio-secure bubble after the first ODI – is also included.

There are also places for seamers Jake Ball, Tom Helm, Saqib Mahmood and Craig Overton, all of whom have been involved in recent times either as winter reserves or – in Overton’s case – as part of the Test squad for the two-match series against New Zealand last month.

Left-arm spinner Danny Briggs last represented England in 2014, with his only ODI coming in 2012 against Pakistan in Dubai. He is one of two specialist spinners involved, alongside Matt Parkinson who was considered unfortunate to miss out on Eoin Morgan’s squad for the Sri Lanka series in the first place.

With Jos Buttler injured and both Jonny Bairstow and Sam Billings isolating, it seems as though Ben Duckett, Phil Salt and Middlesex’s John Simpson will fight it out for the role of wicketkeeper, though both Salt and Duckett are likely options in England’s top six with or without the gloves.

Zak Crawley and Dan Lawrence, both involved in England’s recent Test exploits, could make their ODI debuts, while Surrey allrounder Will Jacks spent part of his winter with Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash and has enjoyed a fruitful T20 Blast with Surrey. James Vince, a member of England’s World Cup-winning squad in 2019, seems a shoo-in at the top of the order.

^{England's squad from the series against Sri Lanka has been forced to isolate}

Gloucestershire’s David Payne is the solitary left-arm seamer in the squad – with Sam Curran, David Willey and George Garton all absent – and could make his international debut at the age of 30. At under-19 level, Payne and Stokes were England teammates at the 2010 World Cup. Durham fast bowler Brydon Carse is another of the uncapped group; he toured Australia with England Lions in the winter of 2019/20 and has impressed this season with his pace.

Managing director of England men's cricket, Ashley Giles, said: “It's a great opportunity to play on the biggest stage, and for most of the players selected it’s not necessarily something they would have been expecting 24 hours ago.

“It's an exciting group of players, with some young talent and some players who have impressed at domestic level over a long period of time.

“We're in unprecedented territory, in terms of replacing an entire squad and management team, and I'm very proud of how everyone has come together in order to get it done - both those within the ECB and from the county game.

“Ben hasn't captained our ODI side before so it's a huge honour for him. We all wish him well and it's a role I'm sure he’ll thrive in.”

Several players who might have considered themselves to be among the next cabs off the rank are injured currently, including Ben Foakes, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Pat Brown, Ollie Pope, Henry Brookes, Olly Stone, Reece Topley and Chris Jordan.

Entire England squad forced to isolate after seven members of ODI party test positive for Covid-19

Several Covid substitutes will be called upon today in the County Championship, with those selected in the squad joining up with England – to be coached by Chris Silverwood, who was due to be on holiday in Norfolk for this series – ahead of the first match on Thursday in Cardiff.

The seven positive tests occurred on Monday at Bristol, the day after England’s final ODI against Sri Lanka was abandoned at the halfway stage due to persistent rain.

The seven people to test positive will now self-isolate, but crucially the remaining members of the party have also been deemed close contacts and will also isolate. All of the players isolating have had at least one vaccination jab; while the majority are asymptomatic, some are feeling unwell.

England squad: Ben Stokes (c), Jake Ball, Danny Briggs, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Lewis Gregory, Tom Helm, Will Jacks, Dan Lawrence, Saqib Mahmood, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Matt Parkinson, David Payne, Phil Salt, John Simpson, James Vince

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