England opener Emilio Gay set to be fit for Pakistan Test series: Report
London, Aug 9
England have received a big boost ahead of their test series against Pakistan starting on August 19, as their opener Emilio Gay, who suffered a shoulder injury while playing for Durham against Middlesex on Friday, is expected to be fit for the first test match at Headingley.
Gay made his debut against New Zealand earlier this year and started off his career scoring two half-centuries in the three-match series. Although he missed a hundred and was inconsistent, his partnership with Ben Duckett impressed the team management, who are keen to give him a long rope after removing Zak Crawley from the team due to poor performances.
According to the Daily Mail Sport, a scan on Saturday revealed no serious damage, allowing Gay to resume his opening partnership with Ben Duckett as England's Test team embark on their latest new era with Pakistan's Test.
The series will also mark Joe Root's first official assignment in his second stint as England's Test captain since stepping down in 2022. The squad selection involved newly appointed head coach Stephen Fleming along with Marcus Trescothick, who will oversee the team as interim head coach for this series before the former assumes full charge.
England have already suffered a blow ahead of the three-match contest as their top-order batter Jacob Bethell has been ruled out due to a knee injury sustained during the recent 2-1 ODI series win against India.
England is coming to the contest after suffering a 2-1 defeat against New Zealand at home, while on the other side Pakistan have arrived after drawing the Test series in the West Indies.
England squad for first two Tests against Pakistan: Joe Root (captain), 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
— IANS
Reader Comments
As an Indian fan, I always enjoy watching Test cricket between England and Pakistan. The rivalry has so much history. Glad Emilio Gay is fit - he looked promising against New Zealand. Joe Root back as captain is also a huge talking point. Let's see if he can bring back that calm leadership England missed.
England's management needs to stop chopping and changing players so quickly. They removed Zak Crawley after a few poor performances, and now they're giving Gay a "long rope"? Inconsistent selections will only create more pressure. That said, the talent pool in England is deep - good to see young players getting chances.
Pakistan's recent Test form has been okay - drawing in the West Indies is respectable. But England at home with Root back leading and a fresh batting lineup... I think Pakistan will struggle unless their openers fire. Also, losing Jacob Bethell is a real blow for England. Test cricket needs strong teams; let's hope for a competitive series! 💪
Interesting that Stephen Fleming will be the head coach starting next series - he knows English conditions well from his IPL days. As for Gay, he looks solid technically. Pairing him with Duckett gives England a left-right combo that can unsettle any bowler. I just hope the series lives up to the hype and we see some classic Test cricket. 🇮🇳
As a neutral observer from the US, I've started following Test cricket more closely. The England-Pakistan series always has drama. Gay's fitness news is good for England's stability - he and Duckett looked promising. Root's return to captaincy will be the real test though. Exc
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.