'It's pointless looking to the future' - Dan Lawrence on seizing England chances

Dan Lawrence returned to England's Test squad for the three-match series against Pakistan with a fresh perspective on his international career. The 28-year-old batter, who last played for England in September 2024 against Sri Lanka, has been given another opportunity in the revamped top six alongside fellow relatively new faces Emilio Gay and Jordan Cox. Lawrence is batting at number six in the current setup, a position closer to where he has operated in domestic cricket.

Lawrence scored 50 not out at Lord's on day three of the second Test, contributing to England's strong position as the team reached 177 for 7 with an overall lead of 357 runs. His performance came after England won the first Test at Headingley by an innings and 103 runs, where Lawrence also registered a half-century. Speaking about his return and the lessons learned from his previous stint in the England shirt, Lawrence explained his changed approach to international cricket.

"I think I got wrapped up in a lot of things when I played for England before," Lawrence said as quoted by The Cricket Paper.

Lawrence's changed mentality on his England return

Lawrence's previous Test appearance came as an opener in the home series against Sri Lanka, a role in which he struggled. His return to a middle-order position has allowed him to settle into a more familiar batting role. The batter acknowledged the positive impact of playing in a position that suits his natural game and the satisfaction of contributing to the team's success in the ongoing series.

"It’s been great fun. I’m batting in a position that’s a little bit closer to what I’m used to and, thankfully, I contributed to the team. Last time I was play for England I was opening and I was happy to do it as a long as I was playing," Lawrence said.

Bowling opportunities in the series

Beyond his batting responsibilities, Lawrence offers England an off-spin option, though his bowling opportunities have been limited by the dominance of the seam attack. The presence of a strong seam quartet means Lawrence has had few chances to bowl in the series so far. When asked about his prospects of getting overs, Lawrence expressed his willingness to contribute with the ball if called upon.

"If they keep bowling like they have been I probably won't get too many overs, but I'd love to have the chance. I haven't really had the chance to show it this series but it's another string to my bow," Lawrence concluded.