Fast bowler Josh Hull of England has stated that he will miss the forthcoming Test series against Pakistan because of a quad injury. Further reducing England’s options for pace, Hull suffered the injury on his Test debut against Sri Lanka.
An injury to his quadriceps has prevented England fast bowler Josh Hull from playing in the forthcoming Test series against Pakistan, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced Wednesday. In his Test debut against Sri Lanka earlier this month, the 20-year-old left-arm bowler suffered the injury.
Hull made an impression by taking three wickets in the third Test at The Oval, despite having only played ten first-class games before his Test debut. He was forced to miss England’s tour of Pakistan due to the injury, and he will now also miss the current one-day international series against Australia.
England has chosen not to call up a substitute for Hull. There are still five fast bowlers on the roster, but there are several questions about their choices for pace. Mark Wood, Josh Tongue, and Dillon Pennington are already on the injury list; they will all miss the tour.
The fact that England’s captain, Ben Stokes, has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since early August, further restricts their choices for pace. Stokes is “on track” for the series, according to an ECB statement, but in an interview with Sky Sports on Tuesday, the all-round player expressed concerns about his bowling prowess in the opening Test.
Olly Stone, another fast-bowling possibility, is also expected to attend his wedding in the UK in between the first and second Tests, which might leave England without front-line pacers at crucial junctures in the series.
The injury to Hull makes England’s preparations for the three-match Test series in Pakistan more difficult. The first match of the series is scheduled to start on October 7 in Multan. The ECB has stated that they would not select any replacements for the injured Hull in spite of these setbacks.
