Curran's Test recall hopes dashed by surgery

England all-rounder Sam Curran has been ruled out of the remainder of the English season with a groin injury, ending his hopes of a potential Test comeback this summer.

Surrey’s Curran, 28, last played a Test in 2021 but had been considered for a recall for the series against Pakistan as England look to balance their side after the retirement of Ben Stokes.

Selector Marcus North suggested Curran could have been picked for the ongoing first Test had he not been managing his fitness through The Hundred and said he would come into contention for the third Test on 9 September.

Further assessment has revealed Curran requires surgery on the groin issue, however.

He will have an operation on Friday, ruling him out of the remainder of the season with Surrey and England’s white-ball matches against Sri Lanka in September.

In March, Curran pulled out of this year’s Indian Premier League with a groin issue.

The MI London captain missed one of his side’s Hundred matches and did not bowl his full allocation in four of their other seven group games.

Without Curran, Stokes or another seam-bowling all-rounder, England opted not to pick a frontline spinner for the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley.

They instead attempted to balance their side by picking Dan Lawrence to bat number six and fill the role of spin bowler with his part-time off-spin.

England all-rounder Will Jacks, who filled a similar role in the Ashes last winter, is also absent from Surrey’s squad for Thursday’s County Championship match against Nottinghamshire after having an operation to remove his appendix.

His availability for the T20 and ODI series with Sri Lanka will be assessed.