Pakistan v England: Liam Livingstone to make Test debut in Rawalpindi

All-rounder Liam Livingstone will make his Test debut in England’s first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi on Thursday.

Ben Duckett will open the batting, playing his first Test since 2016, in place of the dropped Alex Lees.

The three-Test series is England’s first in Pakistan for 17 years.

England halted touring Pakistan after gunmen attacked the Sri Lanka team bus in 2009.

They returned for a T20 series in September and October, winning 4-3.

England XI for first Test v Pakistan: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Ben Foakes (wk), Liam Livingstone, Jack Leach, Ollie Robinson, James Anderson.

Lancashire’s Livingstone was part of the England team that won the T20 World Cup in Australia earlier this month and has forged a reputation as one of the foremost white-ball cricketers in the world.

He has not played a first-class match since September of last year but did feature in England’s warm-up against England Lions in Abu Dhabi last week, hitting 36 from 23 balls and taking two wickets.

Captain Ben Stokes said Livingstone’s lack of red-ball cricket will not hamper him as he becomes the 708th man to play a Test for England.

“The skill he has with the ball and the way he plays with the bat is very aligned with the way we want to see the team play,” said Stokes.

“I don’t necessarily think that not playing a red-ball game is going to be too much of a thing for him. He’s a very natural cricketer, he’s going to go out there and really express himself.

“I’m looking forward to seeing him in the whites. He did say when he got his white pads out of the bag ‘what are these?'”

Despite the inclusion of Livingstone, England have stuck with six batters and wicketkeeper Ben Foakes at seven.

That means only two frontline seamers in James Anderson and Ollie Robinson, with Stokes operating as the third pace bowler. Mark Wood misses out with the hip injury that hampered him at the end of the World Cup, but the Durham paceman should be fit for the second Test.

Stokes explained that Livingstone’s ability to turn the ball both ways – he bowls leg-spin and off-spin – gave him the edge over Surrey’s Jacks, the uncapped off-spinning all-rounder.

The skipper described Livingstone as the “third spinner”, suggesting a greater role for former captain Joe Root’s off-breaks.

“I’ve already spoken to Rooty,” said Stokes. “I’m going to try to use him quite a lot.

“I think he underused himself. He’s actually got some very good assets as an off-spin bowler. He’s been working very hard on his bowling.”

Harry Brook keeps his place in the middle order having replaced the injured Jonny Bairstow at the end of the home summer, while Nottinghamshire left-hander Duckett, 28, returns to win his fifth cap.

In Brook, Duckett and Livingstone, England will field three batters who have excelled in shorter forms of the game.

“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.”