Joe Root will continue as captain, while Jordan Cox takes on the No. 3 position following Jacob Bethell’s exclusion from the series due to injury.
Lawrence makes his comeback to England’s Test squad for the first time in two years after a stellar County Championship season, where he ranks as the second-highest run-scorer in Division One. The right-handed batsman is expected to bat at No. 6, having last played a Test against Sri Lanka.
Cox, who debuted in Tests against New Zealand at The Oval earlier this summer, will fill in for the injured Bethell at first drop.
Bethell suffered a right knee injury during England’s ODI series against India last month, leading to his absence for the entire Pakistan Test series.
Fast bowlers Brydon Carse and Sam Cook are also rejoining the squad. Cook, who made his only Test appearance against Zimbabwe last summer, earns another chance, while Carse returns to the red-ball format for the first time since England’s Ashes defeat in Australia last winter.
Ollie Pope also rejoins the Test squad after missing recent fixtures.England squad for first two Tests against Pakistan
Joe Root (captain), Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Matthew Fisher, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue.
England aims to start the home Test series strongly as they prepare for another significant phase of the World Test Championship cycle.
