England Drop Dan Lawrence for Pakistan Tour

England have dropped batter Dan Lawrence for the tour of Pakistan and included uncapped pair Jordan Cox and Brydon Carse in a 17-man squad.

Captain Ben Stokes returns for the three Tests in October after missing the 2-1 series win against Sri Lanka with a hamstring injury.

Opener Zak Crawley is also back after missing the same series with a broken finger.

In Crawley’s absence, long-term batting reserve Lawrence was given the opportunity to open, rather than his usual position in the middle order.

But in six innings his highest score was 35 and that came in a skittish, almost slogging, effort in the second innings of the final Test, which England lost on Monday.

Essex’s Cox, was an unused member of the squad for the Sri Lanka series and provides cover for England with the bat and behind the stumps.

He will make his T20 international debut against Australia in Southampton on Tuesday.

Durham pace bowler Carse, 29, has already played 14 one-day internationals and three T20s.

He possesses genuine pace and holds a central contract but has missed three months of this season after being banned for historic gambling offences.