Liam Livingstone ruled out of remainder of Pakistan Test series

The England Test debutant in Rawalpindi has been struggling with a knee problem and won't feature in Multan or Karachi. He is expected to spend eight weeks on the sidelines and could be a doubt for the New Zealand tour

Liam Livingstone has been ruled out of the remainder of England's Test tour of Pakistan with an injury to his right knee.

Livingstone, who made his Test debut in the first Test in Rawalpindi, sustained the injury when jarring the knee in the field on day two.

A subsequent scan has revealed cartilage damage. His recovery is expected to take somewhere around eight weeks and he will fly back to England on Tuesday (December 6).

^{Livingstone being presented his Test cap by Michael Atherton (Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)}

That timeframe would appear to render him touch-and-go for the two-Test tour of New Zealand, scheduled for February 2023.

The England camp have said they currently have no plans to call up a replacement for the Pakistan tour, though that could change.

Eighteen-year-old Rehan Ahmed, like Livingstone a leg-spinning allrounder, has already been added to the squad and may well be a step closer to a Test debut. If England do decide to call for a replacement, Liam Dawson would appear to be an obvious candidate.

Rehan Ahmed was added to the squad before the first Test (Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)

In the short term, though, it is likely that Livingstone's place will be taken by Ben Foakes for the second Test in Multan.

Foakes, England’s first-choice keeper, missed the first test due to illness. While Ollie Pope has generally impressed as his stand-in, he did miss a chance early in Pakistan's first innings and is unlikely to retain the gloves should his Surrey teammate is available.

Meanwhile, Pakistan have been boosted by news that Azhar Ali will be available to bat on the final day of the first Test if required. Azhar was forced to retire hurt after sustaining a finger injury while batting on the fourth evening.

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