Sam Curran Ruled Out for Remainder of English Summer Due to Injury
England allrounder Sam Curran will miss the rest of the English summer following a groin injury sustained during The Hundred while playing for MI London. Curran, who was being considered as a potential replacement for the retired Ben Stokes, is set to undergo surgery on Friday, effectively ending his season.
Curran, who debuted in Test cricket at 19 in 2018 and has since earned 24 Test caps, last played a Test match in 2021. His recent focus on white-ball formats often kept him out of Test discussions, though he had been working to reestablish himself in the format. After Stokes’ retirement, England selectors expressed a desire to reintegrate Curran into the red-ball setup. Selector Marcus North noted that Curran had been seriously considered for the first Test against Pakistan, but an intense schedule leading MI London in The Hundred led selectors to deem it “unfair” for him to participate in the opening Tests, which are back-to-back at Headingley and Lord’s.
Curran was initially included in the plans for the series-deciding match against Pakistan at Edgbaston on September 9, part of which involved a stint back with Surrey starting Thursday against Nottinghamshire, the defending Division One champions. However, he is now unavailable for both that match and Surrey’s remaining fixtures.
In related news, Will Jacks is also sidelined after successfully undergoing an appendectomy. Jacks, who was being considered for the Pakistan series, did not make the squad in favor of Dan Lawrence, who is expected to fulfill the role of spinning allrounder alongside four quick bowlers as England seeks to adjust their lineup post-Stokes.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) stated that they “will monitor [Jacks’] recovery and assess availability ahead of the Sri Lanka series” starting on September 15, which includes three T20 internationals and three ODIs. This indicates that Jacks is unlikely to be available for the upcoming Pakistan matches.
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