The post-Ben Stokes era starts at Headingley on August 19 and Surrey's batting all-rounder Lawrence is set to have the first crack at trying to fill the prodigious shoes of the former Test captain. Cox's own injury misfortune meant he only made his Test debut against New Zealand at the Kia Oval in June, when he was down at seven, but he is set for a more prominent role. England head into the curtain-raiser against Pakistan having lost seven of their past nine Tests while they are without a series win since December 2024. "Dan Lawrence returns following an exceptional season so far with Surrey and we believe he has the right level of experience, maturity and skill to complement our middle order. "Jordan Cox is well regarded as one of the most exciting talents in English cricket and will have the opportunity to bat at 3 in place of Jacob Bethell, who sadly misses this series through injury."