England has officially announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming third and final Rothesay Test against Pakistan, scheduled to take place at Edgbaston starting September 9. The team is aiming to complete a clean sweep of the series, having already secured a commanding 2-0 lead with victories by an innings and 103 runs at Headingley, followed by a 194-run win at Lord's.
Notably absent from the squad is fast bowler Brydon Carse, who remains under police investigation following his arrest in Derby last month. The incident occurred outside a nightclub on August 22, and Derbyshire Police have confirmed that inquiries into allegations of assault are still ongoing. Although Carse made his return to domestic cricket last week, contributing to Durham's County Championship victory over Gloucestershire, he has not been included in the squad for the current fixture against Northamptonshire and has not been recalled for the Test match.
In Carse's absence, uncapped Hampshire seamer Sonny Baker has retained his place in the squad after stepping in for the second Test at Lord's. Matthew Fisher is the only player who has been omitted from the group that traveled to Lord's, indicating a stable core of players as England looks to finalize their lineup for the crucial match.
As the series against Pakistan draws to a close, England's management is also considering the upcoming six white-ball matches against Sri Lanka. This potential scheduling conflict may lead to strategic rotations among the frontline seamers. Players such as Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, and Josh Tongue are likely candidates for management, which could pave the way for Baker, Sam Cook, or Shoaib Bashir to feature in the Edgbaston Test.
Cook, who has only one Test appearance to his name from a match against Zimbabwe last summer, and Bashir, who has yet to play in the ongoing series, are both options that the selectors might consider. Baker, on the other hand, has a single Test cap, having played against New Zealand at The Oval in June, and will be looking to make an impact if given the opportunity.
The final squad for the third Test against Pakistan includes: Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, and Josh Tongue. With a series victory already secured, the team will be eager to claim a comprehensive 3-0 win and build momentum heading into the white-ball series against Sri Lanka.
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