Liam Livingstone to make Test debut in Pakistan series opener

Livingstone hasn't played a first-class match since 2021 but the allrounder has been selected ahead of Will Jacks, while Ben Duckett will open the batting alongside Zak Crawley

Liam Livingstone will make his Test debut in England's series opener against Pakistan on Thursday after edging out Will Jacks for the final spot in Ben Stokes' side.

Livingstone, the Lancashire allrounder whose call-up comes on the back of his white-ball prowess, is set to bat at No.8 and offer a spin option. He can bowl both off-spin and leg-breaks, though has taken just nine first-class wickets in the last three years. He last made a domestic red-ball appearance of any kind in August 2021.

He is joined by Ben Duckett, who will open the batting alongside Zak Crawley, with Keaton Jennings the spare batter in the party. Duckett, a fine player of spin, has impressed for England in limited-over cricket recently but also has a fine first-class record in the six years since he was first selected for England's Test team. Then, he was dropped after four matches against Bangladesh and India. He replaces Alex Lees, who was dropped at the end of the summer.

England XI

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Foakes (wk), Liam Livingstone, Jack Leach, Ollie Robinson, James Anderson

Duckett was part of the England side that won the seven-game T20I series in Pakistan earlier this winter – their first trip to the country for 17 years. Livingstone, meanwhile, missed that series through injury but returned to help England win the T20 World Cup.

"Ducky showed out here in the T20s just how good he is against spin bowling," said Stokes. "I'm excited to have him at the top. "The way in which Harry's gone about his first-class cricket over the last year, we won't see much difference out here in the subcontinent. Jonny is a big miss in this Test team out here, but we're very blessed to have someone like Brooky to replace him.

"Livi will probably try to hit a few over the media centre, no doubt."

^{Ben Duckett will open the batting for England (Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)}

Otherwise, England are as anticipated, with Harry Brook continuing at No.5 in the position occupied by Jonny Bairstow until his freak leg injury ended his year, while Ollie Pope is increasingly established at No.3.

Stokes is likely to have to shoulder plenty of bowling burden; he is the third seamer after James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, with Jack Leach England's main spinner. Joe Root offers another alternative – and Stokes has intimated that the former captain will have a large role to play with the ball, describing Livingstone only as "third spinner".

Mark Wood misses the first Test, but it is hoped he will be fit enough to return for the second instalment in Multan.

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