Mason Crane has been recalled to England’s one-day international squad for the first time in nearly nine years, as the team prepares for a tri-series in Pakistan involving Sri Lanka and the hosts. The 29-year-old leg-spinner last represented England in a Test match during the 2017-18 Ashes series at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where he took one wicket for 193 runs. He also played two T20 internationals for England in 2017 but remains uncapped in the ODI format.
Crane’s inclusion in the 16-man squad, announced ahead of the tri-series beginning on October 20, marks a significant development in the competition to succeed veteran spinner Adil Rashid. Rashid, 38, returns to the squad following a hand injury that ruled him out of recent matches. Mason Crane’s strong performances for Glamorgan during the summer, where he claimed 51 wickets across formats and showed improvements with the bat, have been credited for his recall. He took 15 wickets during the Vitality Blast T20 competition and also impressed with England Lions last month with figures of 2 for 20 against Sri Lanka.
Selector Marcus North described Crane as an “experienced, high-class leg-spinner” who had earned another chance at the international level. Crane has been preferred over fellow leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, who has been omitted from the squad, reflecting a shift in selection as England look to build a stable spin option for the future.
The squad faces a challenging schedule with matches taking place in Rawalpindi and Lahore, culminating in a final on October 31. England’s squad mix includes both established players and new talent. Jos Buttler is sidelined due to a hamstring injury, which opens up further opportunities for Jordan Cox, who performed as wicketkeeper and top-order batsman in Buttler’s absence during recent matches. Tom Banton will open alongside Ben Duckett after scoring a century in the last ODI against Sri Lanka.
Fast-bowling options for the tri-series include Sonny Baker, Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson, Henry Crocombe, Sam Curran, and Jamie Overton. Curran returns after recovering from a groin injury, while Jofra Archer is being rested to manage his workload following an intensive summer schedule that saw him play across all formats and in the Indian Premier League. Archer is expected to return for England’s upcoming white-ball tour of Australia.
In addition to the tri-series, England have a busy winter ahead with tours to Australia and South Africa, including Test and ODI matches, followed by a Test series in Bangladesh. Coaching changes for the series in Pakistan see Mike Yardy stepping in as batting coach, replacing interim coach Marcus Trescothick, who will take a break before the winter tours. Kevin Pietersen will not be part of the Pakistan tri-series coaching staff but is scheduled to resume his mentoring role for the Australia and South Africa legs of the winter campaign.