England announce 15-member squad for 3rd Test against Pakistan

Birmingham [UK], September 2 (ANI): The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced a 15-member squad for the third and final Test of the three-match series against Pakistan.

Fast bowler Brydon Carse was not considered for selection after he was briefly arrested outside a bar in Derby and subsequently left out of England’s squad for the second Test against Pakistan, according to Cricinfo. esporist.org

Carse was filmed being led away from the bar in handcuffs, with police later confirming that he had been arrested and subsequently de-arrested. Following the incident, he was withdrawn from England’s squad for the second Test at Lord’s.

Carse was replaced in England’s squad for the second Test by fast bowler Sonny Baker, who has retained his place for the third Test at Edgbaston as well. The only change to England’s squad is the omission of pacer Matt Fisher, leaving a 15-member group for the series finale.

Meanwhile, Pakistan made major changes to their Test set-up ahead of the third and final Test against England from September 9, replacing almost half of their squad and releasing head coach Sarfaraz Ahmed and bowling coach Umar Gul following heavy defeats in the first two Tests against Three Lions. Pakistan suffered a 194-run defeat in the second Test, allowing England to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. In the first Test, Pakistan had lost by an innings margin.

PCB released seven players from the squad, including Mohammad Rizwan, Imam-ul-Haq, Salman Agha, Ali Usman, Aamer Jamal, Awais Zafar and Khurram Shahzad after the loss at Lord’s. In their place, Pakistan have brought in five uncapped players along with Saim Ayub and Abdullah Fazal, who have a combined experience of just 10 matches. The five uncapped players added to the squad are Arafat Minhas, Mohammad Imran Jnr, Saad Baig, Mohammad Imran Randhawa and Razaullah. The PCB also roped in Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke, who are part of Pakistan’s white-ball coaching set-up as head coach and bowling coach, respectively.

England squad for third Test:

Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Emilio Gay, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Joe Root (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Josh Tongue. (ANI)

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Delhi Capitals (DC) wicketkeeper-batter KL Rahul could leave the franchise ahead of the IPL 2027 season after a reported disagreement with the team management. According to Sports Tak, discussions are underway over a possible trade that the wicketkeeper batter could move to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Both teams missed out on the IPL 2026 playoffs, with Delhi Capitals finishing sixth with 14 points and Kolkata Knight Riders seventh with 13 points. Delhi’s recent acquisition of Rishabh Pant from Lucknow Super Giants has also changed the squad’s dynamics, raising questions over Rahul’s role ahead of the next season.

KL Rahul’s Reported Clash With Delhi Capitals Sparks KKR Trade Talks

According to Sports Tak, KL Rahul had a reported clash with the Delhi Capitals management during the IPL 2026 season. Journalist Nitin Srivastav said the disagreement was even bigger than Rahul’s much-publicised incident with Lucknow Super Giants in 2024.

The situation comes after Delhi Capitals traded for Rishabh Pant from Lucknow Super Giants. Pant is also a wicketkeeper-batter, which could affect Rahul’s role in the team. Rahul wants clarity over his position and is keen to continue as both an opener and wicketkeeper.

Journalist Rahul Rawat also reported that talks between KL Rahul and Kolkata Knight Riders are already underway. However, it remains to be seen whether Delhi Capitals will agree to a trade ahead of the IPL 2027 season.

Talks between KKR and KL Rahul are on according to Rahul Rawat(sportstak)

Vc- sportstak pic.twitter.com/sD2vISV22P

— KKR Vibe (@KnightsVibe) September 2, 2026

🚨KL Rahul had a clash at Delhi Capitals.

-KL Rahul had a clash at Delhi Capitals that is even bigger than the LSG incident.

- [Nitin Srivastav/Sports Tak] pic.twitter.com/KvGIuLe49v

— Indian Cricket 🏏 (@Indiancric1cm) September 2, 2026

KL Rahul Remains a Major Trade Target For Kolkata Knight Riders

KL Rahul enjoyed an excellent IPL 2026 season with Delhi Capitals. He scored 593 runs in 14 matches at an average of 45.62 and a strike rate of 174.41. The right-handed batter finished at fourth on the Orange Cap leaderboard.

Rahul smashed an unbeaten 152 off 67 balls against Punjab Kings at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. It became the highest individual score by an Indian batter in IPL history.

Delhi had initially bought Rahul for INR 14 crore ahead of the 2025 season and retained him for IPL 2026. After using him in different roles during his first season, captain Axar Patel and the team management used Rahul as an opener and wicketkeeper throughout the 2026 campaign.

KL Rahul Can Fill Multiple Gaps for KKR

Kolkata Knight Riders could see Rahul as a solution to several gaps in their squad. KKR are without an experienced Indian leader following Ajinkya Rahane’s retirement. Rinku Singh remains an option for the future, but Rahul brings considerable IPL captaincy experience.

Rahul can also strengthen KKR’s top order after the team struggled to find consistency during IPL 2026. The Karnataka-born cricketer can provide stability without slowing down the scoring rate.

His wicketkeeping ability could be another major advantage for KKR. By signing an Indian wicketkeeper-batter who can open the innings, the franchise could use its overseas slots for other specialists, including fast bowlers or power-hitters.

Rahul also has a strong professional relationship with KKR head coach Abhishek Nayar, which could further support a potential move. It will be interesting to see whether Delhi Capitals are willing to let Rahul go ahead of the IPL 2027 mini-auction.

Also read: “Hookah pee ke aa raha hoon” - MS Dhoni’s comment to Rishabh Pant goes viral

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Mohsin Naqvi defended sweeping Test squad and coaching changes after Pakistan’s heavy 2-0 series loss to England. Seven players were dropped and five uncapped players added, while Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke took coaching roles. Despite criticism from former cricketers and fans, Naqvi called the decisions "essential" and defended his record, highlighting progress in white-ball cricket.

Pakistan batter Imam-ul-Haq could face a ban of up to two years over the controversy surrounding his injury during the second Test against England at Lord's, according to Geo News.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is in the process of setting up a high-level investigation team to look into the circumstances surrounding Imam's calf injury, Geo News sources said on Wednesday.

According to Geo News sources, Imam could be handed a ban of one to two years if the inquiry finds him guilty of misconduct. The matter has also brought renewed scrutiny on an earlier injury-related controversy involving the Pakistani left-handed batter during Pakistan's tour of New Zealand in March 2025.

Imam suffered a low-grade calf strain while fielding on the opening day of the Lord's Test and subsequently did not bat in either of Pakistan's innings. The visiting side crumbled for 110 after England compiled 290, before being bowled out for 194 in pursuit of 389, resulting in a 194-run defeat and a 2-0 series loss with a Test match to go.

Pakistan cricket in turbulence after Lord's Test

Sources indicated that the Pakistan board's decision to launch a fresh probe arises from suspicions regarding the legitimacy of Imam's injury and his absence from action.

This latest situation has brought back attention to a prior PCB investigation from the tour of New Zealand. During that tour, Imam was held responsible by an inquiry panel for allegedly exaggerating or faking an injury after taking a hit to his right big toe in an indoor net session on March 28, 2025.

The committee determined that the opener had misled the medical team in an attempt to pull out of the series-opening ODI.

Similarly, wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan has come under intense scrutiny regarding disciplinary matters. Board officials are expected to interview Rizwan shortly, with sources noting that his future selection across national teams remains highly doubtful.

Both players were among seven members released from the Test squad following the Lord's defeat. Pakistan have named five uncapped players while bringing Mike Hesson and Ashley Noffke onto the coaching staff ahead of the final Test at Edgbaston beginning September 9.

(With inputs from ANI)