London: England has announced a 14-member squad for the upcoming three-match Test series against Sri Lanka, but will be without key players Zak Crawley and Dillion Pennington due to injuries. Crawley has a fractured right little finger, while Pennington is sidelined with a hamstring injury. The series is set to begin on August 21 in Manchester and will be part of the ICC World Test Championship 2023-25.

According to International Cricket Council, the England squad sees the return of Olly Stone and the inclusion of Jordan Cox for the first time in Test cricket. Cox, a prolific scorer for Essex in the County Championship, and Stone, a fast bowler from Nottinghamshire making his return after last playing in 2021, are expected to fill the gaps left by the injured players. The series follows England’s successful campaign against the West Indies, where they achieved a 3-0 series whitewash.

The squad, led by captain Ben Stokes, also includes players like Harry Brook, Joe Root, and Chris Woakes, who are pivotal to England’s strategy. Sri Lanka, currently fourth in the World Test Championship standings, poses a significant challenge with England looking to improve their sixth-place ranking. The series promises to be a crucial contest for both teams in the championship’s points table.