Sam Curran sidelined for the remainder of the English season due to a groin injury, postponing his return to Test cricket.

Sam Curran, the England all-rounder, has been sidelined for the remainder of the English cricket season due to a groin injury that necessitates surgery. The 28-year-old will undergo the procedure on Friday, which will prevent him from participating in Surrey’s final matches and the upcoming white-ball series against Sri Lanka in September. This injury is a significant blow for Curran, who had been viewed as a potential candidate for a Test return following the retirement of Ben Stokes.

Curran has not played Test cricket since 2021, but he was being considered for a recall during England's current series against Pakistan. Selector Marcus North had previously indicated that Curran might have been in the running for the first Test had he not been managing his fitness during The Hundred tournament. There was also hope that he could be available for the third Test, set to commence on September 9. However, further evaluations of his groin injury have dashed those hopes.

His fitness issues have already impacted his participation in The Hundred, where he missed one match for MI London and was unable to complete his full bowling quota in four of the other seven group games. Additionally, Curran withdrew from the Indian Premier League earlier this year due to the same groin concern.

The absence of Curran complicates England's strategy as they seek to reshape their Test lineup in the wake of Stokes' departure. Without Curran, Stokes, or another seam-bowling all-rounder, the team opted not to include a frontline spinner for the first Test against Pakistan at Headingley. Instead, they elevated Dan Lawrence to the No. 6 position, asking him to contribute with his part-time off-spin to achieve a balanced team composition.

Adding to England's woes, fellow Surrey all-rounder Will Jacks is also out of action after undergoing an appendectomy. Jacks, who played a similar role during the previous winter's Ashes series, was excluded from Surrey's squad for their County Championship match against Nottinghamshire. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has stated that Jacks' recovery will be closely monitored to determine his availability for the T20 and ODI series against Sri Lanka.

In an official injury update, the ECB confirmed, “Neither Sam Curran nor Will Jacks are in Surrey’s squad for today’s resumption of the Rothesay County Championship. Sam Curran has been assessed for a groin injury and will undergo surgery on Friday. He will not be available for the remainder of the home season.”