Sam Curran's England Test Comeback Bid Ends After Groin Surgery Ruling

Sam Curran's hopes of returning to England's Test side this summer have been dashed after the all-rounder was ruled out for the remainder of the domestic season with a groin injury. Curran is scheduled to undergo surgery on Friday, a procedure that will also keep him out of the white-ball series against Sri Lanka in September.

Curran had been floated as a potential option to fill the gap left by Ben Stokes in the Test team, with national selector Marcus North describing him as a

player of real value for us

Why was Curran left out of the Pakistan squad?

According to a Sky Sports report, his absence from the first two Tests stemmed from fitness concerns rather than any shift in selection preference, and England's management had still been weighing him as a possible pick for the third Test at Edgbaston. That plan is now off the table given the surgery.

The 27-year-old, who made his Test debut against Pakistan in 2018 at the age of 19, has not featured in the format since August 2021. In his limited appearances in the County Championship since losing his Test place, he has averaged 46 with the bat and 29 with the ball across 14 matches for Surrey. He remains a fixture in England's two limited-overs sides.

What caused the injury?

Per an ESPN Cricinfo account, Curran had already been managing a groin problem during his time in The Hundred, and the issue has since worsened to the point that an operation is now required, ending his season entirely.

Curran had previously spoken of his ambition to fill the void left by Stokes following the latter's retirement from the Test captaincy, insisting his focus remained on performance and team balance ahead of the Pakistan series. That ambition has now been put on hold by the injury setback.

How has England's XI adapted without a seam-bowling all-rounder?

England have turned to Dan Lawrence at number six for the opening two Tests against Pakistan as they attempt to balance the side without a genuine seam-bowling all-rounder, opting instead to omit a specialist spinner and field four fast bowlers. Joe Root had talked up Lawrence's off-spin ahead of the series opener at Headingley, though it was not needed on the first day as Ollie Robinson and Josh Tongue each claimed five wickets.

The absence of a like-for-like Stokes replacement has been a recurring theme this season. Stokes and Gus Atkinson were previously left out of the second Test against New Zealand after breaching a team curfew, with Root taking over the captaincy, while Robinson himself had earlier missed that same match with knee soreness. Stokes and Atkinson were subsequently withdrawn from county fixtures at the request of the England and Wales Cricket Board as an investigation into the curfew breach continued.

Who else is on the injury list?

Will Jacks, another all-rounder in England's plans, is also sidelined as he recovers from an operation to remove his appendix. A statement from the England and Wales Cricket Board said his availability would be reassessed closer to the Sri Lanka series.

What happens next?

England's third Test against Pakistan begins on 9 September at Edgbaston, but per the Sky Sports report, Curran will not be considered for that match because of his surgery and subsequent recovery period. England's following Test assignment comes in December against South Africa, marking the start of Stephen Fleming's tenure as head coach.

• Curran will have groin surgery on Friday, ending his involvement in the domestic season.
• He is ruled out of the third Test against Pakistan on 9 September at Edgbaston and the subsequent Sri Lanka white-ball series.
• Dan Lawrence has been used at number six in the first two Pakistan Tests as England field four seamers instead of a specialist spinner.
• Will Jacks is separately recovering from an appendix operation, with his return assessed ahead of the Sri Lanka series.
• England face South Africa in December in the first Test series under new head coach Stephen Fleming.