England now face a classic Countdown-style conundrum as they try to fit an extra batsman into their Test line‑up. The retirement of Ben Stokes from international cricket and Jacob Bethell’s recent knee problem opened the door for Jordan Cox and Dan Lawrence, who have both taken advantage of the opportunity against a comparatively weak Pakistan side. While Stokes is unlikely to make a comeback – though a total dismissal would be premature – Bethell is expected to be fit for the three‑Test series in South Africa later this winter.
His return will leave England with one more specialist batter than they can accommodate in the XI, forcing the selectors to make a difficult decision. Cox and Lawrence have earned their places, but their futures are far from guaranteed. The same uncertainty surrounds opener Emilio Gay, whose first five Tests have yielded an average of 23.44 and whose recent form has dipped – he has not surpassed a score of 33 in his last six innings after two solid fifties against New Zealand.
England have dominated Pakistan, clinching a series win – their first since December 2024 – and they will look to convert that momentum into a 3‑0 sweep at Edgbaston starting 9 September. One tempting option is to stick with the winning combination, but the return of a generational talent like Bethell makes that approach problematic.
At 22, Bethell is widely regarded as a future star. In the past year he has piled up centuries across all three formats, including a memorable Ashes ton, and he also contributes useful left‑arm spin and excellent fielding. The consensus is that he will become a regular fixture, most likely at the No 3 position, for many years to come.
That does not automatically make Cox, who filled the No 4 slot in Bethell’s absence, the obvious casualty. Cox has built his reputation as a white‑ball dynamo – he was the MVP of The Hundred in 2025 with the Oval Invincibles – but his first‑class credentials are solid: more than 4,000 runs in 66 matches at an average of 43.27, including 12 centuries. In the Test arena he has shown maturity and technique, posting successive fifties against Pakistan at Leeds and Lord’s, each coming after early wickets had fallen.
His innings at Lord’s demonstrated a balanced approach; after a brisk start he deliberately slowed the scoring rate to fulfil a self‑imposed goal of batting time, proving his adaptability. The only blemish so far is that he has yet to convert a half‑century into a triple figure, a milestone that slipped away when he was caught in a spectacular slip by Salman Agha in the second Test. If Cox remains a permanent fixture, someone else will have to go.
Potential candidates are Gay, middle‑order stalwart Lawrence or wicket‑keeper Jamie Smith. Cox’s occasional wicket‑keeping skills add another layer to the debate; before the Pakistan series the coaching staff discussed using him as a backup to Smith should the latter struggle with either the bat or the gloves – a concern that resurfaced after Smith’s difficult Ashes campaign in Australia. Smith, however, has shown signs of resurgence.
His 61 in the first innings of the latest Test was his second fifty of the summer, and his glovework has been praised as consistently reliable, thanks in part to the guidance of former England Women’s keeper Sarah Taylor, now England’s fielding coach. Lawrence, meanwhile, has delivered two half‑centuries from the No 6 slot against Pakistan, including a counter‑attacking knock at Lord’s that featured a massive six over extra‑cover before a modest run‑out for 17.
He also offers a part‑time off‑spin option, giving England a useful secondary spin weapon in a line‑up otherwise dominated by pace. The selectors could theoretically drop Lawrence and rely on Bethell as the primary spinner, but retaining both could prove valuable, especially if new captain Joe Root, who may be reluctant to bowl his own off‑spin, prefers to keep a specialist spin option at hand. This brings us back to Emilio Gay. The Durham‑born opener has not struggled to adapt to the international stage; he posted a half‑century on debut on a difficult Lord’s pitch against New Zealand and followed it with another fifty at The Oval.
Gay’s strengths lie in his elegant off‑side strokes and his capacity to dig in when the bowlers dominate. Unfortunately, he has also suffered some cruel luck – a LBW dismissal at shin height from Mohammad Abbas after a solid 31 at Lord’s left him feeling the sting of missed opportunity. While Gay’s technique is sound, the pressure to produce runs intensifies when both Cox and Lawrence are performing well. Cox’s experience as an opener in county cricket could see him promoted to the top of the order, further squeezing Gay’s chances.
A big innings at Edgbaston may be the only way for Gay to cement his place. Looking ahead, the countdown to the South Africa tour will begin after the Pakistan series concludes.
That series will be the first assignment for new head coach Stephen Fleming, who will inherit this batting puzzle. Fleming will need to balance the desire to nurture emerging talent like Bethell with the need to reward the players who have delivered for England in recent weeks. Whether he opts to drop Cox, Lawrence, Gay or even Smith will shape the team’s composition for the winter and could set the tone for England’s future Test strategy. Fans can watch the third Test against Pakistan live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 10 am on Wednesday, 9 September (first ball at 11 am).
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