Last Updated on 43 minutes ago by Charbel Coorey
Sam Curran’s anticipated return to Test cricket has suffered another setback after the England all-rounder was ruled out for the remainder of the English summer with a groin injury.
Curran was in the frame to force his way back into the Test side following the retirement of Ben Stokes. However, his latest injury means he will miss the coming matches in the ongoing Pakistan series and the rest of the domestic matches this summer.
Curran has suffered several fitness problems during the year, including a prior groin injury that ruled him out of the IPL. He will have surgery on Friday, with England waiting for him to recover before plotting his route back into the Test side.
Sam Curran’s wait to return to Test cricket will extend
Curran had been considered a possible option to fill the gap left by Stokes in England’s Test team. The allrounder had been in the mix for the first two Tests against Pakistan but was overlooked for workload reasons.
England’s management believed that it would have been difficult for Curran to play back-to-back Tests at Headingley and Lord’s after a busy summer. He was therefore expected to be fit for the third Test at Edgbaston, which starts on September 9.
However, the groin injury has disrupted his plan. Curran will now miss Surrey’s remaining County Championship matches and the rest of England’s domestic summer.
Sam Curran, 28, made his Test debut as a 19 year old in 2018, and has played 24 Tests for England. He last played a Test in 2021. Since then he has been largely a white-ball cricketer and has found himself back into England’s limited overs plans.
Will Jacks will also miss Surrey’s next couple of games after successfully having his appendix removed. Jacks was in contention for the Pakistan series but missed out to Dan Lawrence, who is preferred for the spinning all-rounder role.
The England and Wales Cricket Board will monitor Jacks’ recovery and determine his availability for the white ball series against Sri Lanka in September. England are due to play three T20Is and three ODIs against Sri Lanka starting September 15.
