England has announced their playing XI for the first Test against Sri Lanka, with Harry Brook named as vice-captain for the series. The match is set to begin on August 21 at Old Trafford, Manchester. Brook, who returned to the side during the West Indies series, takes on the role in the absence of regular captain Ben Stokes, who has been sidelined due to injury. With Ollie Pope leading the team, Brook will serve as his deputy for the entire three-match series.
The England lineup sees some key changes due to injuries. Zak Crawley is out due to a finger injury, and Dan Lawrence steps in as the opener. Matthew Potts returns to the squad for the first time since June 2023, while Shoaib Bashir is the primary spinner, continuing his role after a strong showing against the West Indies.
Here’s the England XI for the first Test:
- Dan Lawrence
- Ben Duckett
- Ollie Pope (captain)
- Joe Root
- Harry Brook (vice-captain)
- Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper)
- Chris Woakes
- Gus Atkinson
- Matthew Potts
- Mark Wood
- Shoaib Bashir
Sri Lanka:
- Dhananjaya De Silva (captain)
- Kusal Mendis (vice-captain)
- Dimuth Karunaratne
- Nishan Madushka
- Pathum Nissanka
- Angelo Mathews
- Dinesh Chandimal
- Kamindu Mendis
- Sadeera Samarawickrama
- Asitha Fernando
- Vishwa Fernando
- Kasun Rajitha
- Lahiru Kumara
- Nisala Tharaka
- Prabath Jayasuriya
- Ramesh Mendis
- Jeffrey Vandersay
- Milan Rathnayake
With the first Test kicking off soon, both teams are eager to make their mark in this important series.