Curran called in as cover for injured Stokes in England Test squad

Left-arm swing bowler Sam Curran has been named in the England squad as cover for injured all-rounder Ben Stokes for the second Test of the two-match series against Pakistan, beginning July 1 at the Headingley Carnegie.

Stokes sustained an injury in his left hamstring, while fielding during a recent training session and, now, Curran has earned his first Test call-up as his cover.

"Surrey left-arm seamer Sam Curran has been drafted into England's Test squad as cover for Ben Stokes who is suffering with a tight left hamstring," the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said.

The 19-year-old will now longer be part of the ICC World XI squad for the one-off fund-raising T20I match against West Indies as he has to arrive in Leeds tonight and will train at Emerald Headingley on Friday.

 

Curran seems to have got the call-up on the back of his impressive performance in the ongoing English county season so far.

He has been the leading wicket-taker for Yorkshire, having bagged 18 wickets in four games---including a match-winning haul of 10 for 101 in his previous first-class appearance at the Oval.

Earlier, England slumped to a nine-wicket defeat at the hands of Pakistan in the opening Test at Lord's to go down 0-1 in the two-match series.