England have named their XI for the first Test match against Sri Lanka on Wednesday (August 21), with Chris Woakes set to bat at seven as Matthew Potts returns in Ben Stokes' absence.
Potts has played one Test match since the summer of 2022, when he was given an extended run in the side. He has 23 Test wickets from six appearances, and a best of 4-13 against New Zealand. The Durham seamer comes into the XI effectively as Stokes' replacement, after the England Test captain tore his hamstring during The Hundred. Chris Woakes will move up a spot to No.7, while Jamie Smith will bat at No.6.
England had previously trailed that Dan Lawrence would open the batting in place of Zak Crawley, who fractured his finger in the final Test match against the West Indies. They also previously announced that Ollie Pope will captain the side in Stokes' absence, becoming the 82nd player to captain England in a men's Test.
Lawrence has been England's de-facto spare batter in Test squads for some time, but last played a Test match in 2022. He has not previously opened the batting for England in any of his 11 Test matches, but did bat at No.3 against India in 2021. Lawrence has a Test average of 29.00, with four half-centuries to his name. He had an impressive start to this year's County Championship at Surrey, having scored two centuries so far in the edition.
England XI for the first Test vs Sri Lanka: Dan Lawrence, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook (vc), Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Mark Wood, Shoaib Bashir.
Harry Brook has also been named as England's vice-captain for the series, a position Pope normally occupies. The 25-year-old captained Northern Superchargers throughout this year's Hundred. Superchargers narrowly missed out on a place in the knockouts of the tournament, finishing in fourth place in the table, equal on points with Southern Brave.
England's first Test against Sri Lanka will begin on Wednesday (August 19), at Old Trafford. The second two Tests will be played in London, at Lord's and The Oval respectively, before the series wraps up in mid-September.
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