Sam Curran ruled out of England home season after groin surgery
Synopsis
Sam Curran's long-awaited Test return — his first since 2021 — has been cut short by groin surgery, arriving at the worst possible moment for England selectors already scrambling to fill the Ben Stokes-shaped hole in their Test lineup. With Will Jacks also out after emergency surgery, Surrey have handed Indian all-rounder Mahipal Lomror a debut at The Oval.
Key Takeaways
Sam Curran , 28, has been ruled out for the remainder of England's home season after groin surgery.
Curran had not played Test cricket since 2021 and was being considered for the ongoing Pakistan Test series .
Chief selector Marcus North had publicly identified Curran as a key all-round option following Ben Stokes 's retirement.
Will Jacks is also sidelined after emergency surgery to remove his appendix, though he may return for the Sri Lanka white-ball series.
Uncapped Indian all-rounder Mahipal Lomror has made his Surrey debut at The Oval in place of Jacks.
Leg-spinner Rahul Chahar has missed Surrey's County Championship match against Nottinghamshire due to a neck issue.
England seam-bowling all-rounder Sam Curran has been ruled out for the remainder of the home international season after undergoing groin surgery, dealing a significant blow to his prospects of a Test comeback for the first time since 2021. The 28-year-old had been in contention to feature in the ongoing Test series against Pakistan before the injury intervened.
What Surrey Confirmed
County side Surrey confirmed the development in an official statement: '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.' The operation was scheduled to follow the conclusion of The Hundred, bringing Curran's season to a premature close.
The Selection Context
England's newly-appointed chief selector Marcus North had previously flagged Curran as a priority all-round option in the wake of Ben Stokes's retirement. England suffered a 2-1 series defeat to New Zealand in June, after which Stokes stepped away from Test cricket, leaving a gap in the side's balance that selectors had been looking to fill.
North had said: 'With the retirement of Ben Stokes, it's quite clear that he provided us with a certain balance in the team. Sam Curran is certainly a player of interest for us. He's someone our backroom staff and medical team will be working with in the coming weeks to make sure that he potentially becomes an option in the third Test. He's someone that we really value highly, and we see playing a role in the future for us as an all-rounder.'
Double Blow for Surrey and England
The injury setback coincides with a separate blow for both Surrey and England, as batting all-rounder Will Jacks has also been ruled out of the Pakistan Test series after undergoing emergency surgery to remove his appendix. Surrey's statement noted: 'Will Jacks is currently recovering after a successful operation to remove his appendix. We will monitor his recovery and assess his availability ahead of the Sri Lanka series.' Jacks could yet return for the white-ball series against Sri Lanka, which concludes England's men's international home season.
Surrey's Replacements at The Oval
In Surrey's ongoing County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at The Oval, uncapped Indian batting all-rounder Mahipal Lomror has been handed a debut in place of Jacks. Fellow India international and leg-spinner Rahul Chahar, however, has been absent from the fixture due to a neck issue. With both Curran and Jacks sidelined simultaneously, England's selection headaches ahead of the third Test have deepened considerably.
Point of View
And it has now narrowed further. North's public endorsement of Curran — before the player had even recovered — reflected the depth of the problem rather than the strength of the solution. England have leaned heavily on Surrey's pipeline for years, and the simultaneous unavailability of Curran and Jacks underlines how thin that pipeline runs when injuries strike in clusters. The question of who balances England's Test XI in the medium term remains genuinely open.
NationPress
20 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why has Sam Curran been ruled out of England's home season?
Sam Curran has been ruled out after undergoing surgery on a groin injury. Surrey confirmed the procedure was scheduled following the conclusion of The Hundred, ending his season prematurely.
When did Sam Curran last play Test cricket for England?
Sam Curran last represented England in Test cricket in 2021. The Pakistan series had offered his most realistic route back to the format before the groin injury intervened.
What did chief selector Marcus North say about Sam Curran?
Marcus North had stated that Curran was 'certainly a player of interest' for England following Ben Stokes's retirement, adding that the backroom staff were working to make him available for the third Test. Those plans have now been shelved.
What happened to Will Jacks?
Will Jacks underwent emergency surgery to remove his appendix and has been ruled out of the Pakistan Test series. Surrey said they would monitor his recovery ahead of the Sri Lanka white-ball series, which concludes the home season.
Who is replacing Will Jacks for Surrey at The Oval?
Uncapped Indian batting all-rounder Mahipal Lomror has been handed a debut for Surrey in their County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at The Oval, filling in for the absent Jacks.
