England in UAE: Alex Hales and Zafar Ansari in, Adam Lyth out

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Alex Hales batsImage source, Reuters
Image caption,

Alex Hales is included despite averaging just 10.60 in the one-day series against Australia

Nottinghamshire batsman Alex Hales and Surrey all-rounder Zafar Ansari could make their England Test debuts in the UAE after being selected in the squad for the series against Pakistan.

Hales's county colleague James Taylor is also named, after impressing during the one-day series with Australia.

There is no place for Yorkshire's Gary Ballance and Adam Lyth, with the latter dropped after a poor Ashes series.

The three-Test series begins in Abu Dhabi on 13 October.

Pakistan v England: Test dates

13-17 October: 1st Test, ZCS, Abu Dhabi

22-26 October: 2nd Test, Dubai Cricket Stadium

1-5 November: 3rd Test, Sharjah CC

All-rounder Ben Stokes is rested from the one-day squad, to which batsman Joe Root returns.

Lancashire spinner Stephen Parry and Sussex bowler Chris Jordan are recalled to the T20 squad.

The England and Wales Cricket Board has also announced former England limited-overs captain Paul Collingwood and ex-Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene will join the England management team in consultancy roles.

National selector James Whitaker said Hales, 26, "fully deserved" a chance at the top of the order after scoring 886 runs at an average of 52.11 in the County Championship this season.

"He has scored heavily for Nottinghamshire in first-class cricket and has shown he can play match-winning innings for England in white-ball cricket," said Whitaker.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Ansari's only England appearance was an ODI against Ireland that was washed out after 18 overs in May

Left-armer Ansari, 23, who has taken 44 wickets and scored more than 700 runs this season, will provide a third spin option alongside Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid.

Ansari was told he had been selected on Monday, describing the news as "a surprise".

He said: "Going into this season it wasn't on my radar. I just wanted to have a solid, consistent season with Surrey and establish myself a bit more. Things have gone my way and this is what happens when that happens.

"If the conditions prove to be very spin-friendly and I make an impression, then great. I'm there as much as anything to learn and try to develop quickly and if I get my chance, to go out and perform."

Within hours of his call-up, Ansari was forced to leave the field in Surrey's County Championship match against Lancashire and went to hospital after injuring his hand trying to take a catch at cover point.

Pakistan v England: limited-overs dates

11 November: 1st ODI, ZCS, Abu Dhabi

13 November: 2nd ODI, ZCS, Abu Dhabi

17 November: 3rd ODI, Sharjah CC

20 November: 4th ODI, Dubai Cricket Stadium

26 November: 1st T20, Dubai Cricket Stadium

27 November: 2nd T20, Dubai Cricket Stadium

30 November: 3rd T20, Sharjah CC

Taylor, 25, is recalled to the Test set-up after winning the last of his two caps against South Africa in 2012.

The middle-order batsman, who may compete with Jonny Bairstow for a place in the side, enjoyed a prolific ODI series against Australia, scoring 246 runs at an average of 49.20.

"I've been desperate to get back in the Test side for a number of years now and I know that any runs in international cricket are going to count no matter what format, especially against Australia," Taylor told the BBC.

"I knew going in to the UAE there's going to be a lot of spin bowled, and that'll hopefully work in my favour as I love playing spin. Overall, it's worked out nicely and those runs will have made a big impact."

With Lyth dropped after averaging just 12.77 in the Ashes, captain Alastair Cook seems certain to have a seventh opening partner since the retirement of Andrew Strauss, though it is not clear whether Hales, Moeen or even Ansari will be selected.

Former Scotland assistant Collingwood will join the team in November to coach batting and fielding during the limited-overs series in the UAE, and will then link up with England again for the ICC World T20 in March.

He said: "It's an exciting time for English cricket. We've got some great, skilful youngsters coming through.

"Hopefully I can create the confidence in their games that they can go and do it out in the middle without any fear."

Test squad: Alastair Cook (Essex, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lancashire), Zafar Ansari (Surrey), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire, wk), Ian Bell (Warwickshire), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Jos Buttler (Lancashire, wk), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Liam Plunkett (Yorkshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), James Taylor (Nottinghamshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire, wk), Sam Billings (Kent, wk), Jos Buttler (Lancashire, wk), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), James Taylor (Nottinghamshire), Reece Topley (Essex, to join Hampshire at end of season), David Willey (Northants, to join Yorkshire at end of season), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

Twenty20 squad: Eoin Morgan (Middlesex, capt), Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Sam Billings (Kent, wk), Jos Buttler (Lancashire, wk), Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Stephen Parry (Lancashire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Reece Topley (Essex, to join Hampshire at end of season), James Vince (Hampshire), David Willey (Northants, to join Yorkshire at end of season), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

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