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Taylor, Hales named in England Test squad

Spinning allrounder Zafar Ansari joins James Taylor and Alex Hales in Test squad to play Pakistan

Spinning allrounder Zafar Ansari and batsmen Alex Hales and James Taylor have been included in England’s 16-man squad for their three-Test series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates next month.

Opener Adam Lyth was omitted despite England’s successful Ashes campaign, dropped following a disappointing series against the Australians in which he averaged 12.77.

It is the first time Nottinghamshire right-hander Hales has been named in the Test squad, coming in as a candidate to open alongside skipper Alastair Cook after scoring 886 runs at an average of 52 in county cricket this season.

He had been considered the frontrunner to partner Cook despite scoring 53 runs at an average of 10.6 during the one-day international series against Australia, while allrounder Moeen Ali is another opening option, having batted at the top of the order in ODIs.

Notthinghamshire’s Taylor has been rewarded after an ODI series which included his maiden one-day ton, named in the squad ahead of Yorkshire batsman Gary Ballance who was dropped following the second Ashes Test at Lord’s.

Taylor’s last Test was against South Africa in 2012.

Watch: Taylor's maiden ODI ton (restrictions apply)

The uncapped pair of left-armer Ansari and leggie Adil Rashid join incumbent tweaker Moeen as England’s three spinning allrounders, with Yorkshire’s Rashid considered likely to be named for his debut alongside Moeen on UAE wickets suited to spinners.

Ansari has been rewarded with a call-up after a strong county season which saw him take 44 wickets for Surrey.

Fast bowler James Anderson is set for a return after missing the fourth and fifth Tests due to a side strain, while Steven Finn has retained his place in the squad after his fairytale return to Test cricket at Edgbaston where he collected 2-38 and 6-79 in England’s eight-wicket win.

Watch: Finn's fairy tale five-fer (restrictions apply)

England and Wales Cricket Board National Selector James Whitaker said the tour against Pakistan would present a vastly different challenge to taking on Australia at home.

“The composition of our squads reflects the conditions we expect to encounter in the UAE,” Whitaker said.

“Zafar Ansari’s potential excites us and he will provide strong competition for Adil Rashid and Moeen Ali in the Test squad after enjoying an excellent domestic season with both bat and ball for Surrey.

“Alex Hales has scored heavily for Nottinghamshire this season, has shown he can play match-winning innings for England in white-ball cricket and fully deserves an opportunity to compete for a place at the top of the order in our Test side."

Former skipper Paul Collingwood and Sri Lanka legend Mahela Jayawardene will join England’s management team in consultancy roles, with Collingwood to work with the limited-overs squads in the UAE and during next year’s ICC World T20 tournament, while Jayawardene will act as a batting consultant to the Test squad in the UAE.

England also named their 15-man limited-overs squads to play Pakistan in four ODIs and three Twenty20s, with star batsman Joe Root making his return after being rested for the series against Australia, while allrounder Ben Stokes will be rested.

Watch: Root impressed during the Ashes (restrictions apply)

“This decision reflects a desire to manage Ben’s workload across a busy winter period in all three formats of the game,” Whitaker said.

“He will come back into contention for the white-ball format when we consider the make-up of our squads for the tour of South Africa later in the year.“

Fast bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who have not played in England’s one-day team since the World Cup, were again left out of the ODI squad.

England will begin their tour with two two-day warm-up matches against Pakistan A in Sharjah before the three-Test series begins in Abu Dhabi on 13 October. 

England Test squad: Alastair Cook (c), Moeen Ali, James Anderson, Zafar Ansari, Jonny Bairstow, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Jos Buttler (wk), Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett , Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, James Taylor, Mark Wood  

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Steven Finn, Alex Hales, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, James Taylor, Reece Topley, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Stephen Parry, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Reece Topley, James Vince, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Pakistan v England in the United Arab Emirates

October 5-6: Two-day tour match v Pakistan A (Sharjah)
October 8-9: Two-day tour match v Pakistan A (Sharjah)
October 13-17: First Test v Pakistan (Abu Dhabi)
October 22-26: Second Test v Pakistan (Dubai)
November 1-5: Third Test v Pakistan (Sharjah)
November 8: One-day tour match (Abu Dhabi)
November 11: First ODI v Pakistan (Abu Dhabi)
November 13: Second ODI v Pakistan (Abu Dhabi)
November 17: Third ODI v Pakistan (Sharjah)
November 20: Fourth ODI v Pakistan (Dubai)
November 23: Twenty20 v UAE XI (Abu Dhabi)
November 26: First T20 v Pakistan (Dubai)
November 27: Second T20 v Pakistan (Dubai)
November 30: Second T20 v Pakistan (Sharjah)