Thomas Tuchel wants "to put the second star on this shirt", as the new England head coach set his sights on World Cup glory in 2026.

The 51-year-old was announced as Gareth Southgate's successor on Wednesday, agreeing an 18-month contract that will begin on January 1.

Former Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Tuchel is the first German to manage the Three Lions, and only the third non-English coach in history after the late Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

Southgate came within whiskers of ending England's wait for major international silverware, suffering successive European Championship final defeats against Italy and Spain.

Tuchel, who has also managed Mainz and Borussia Dortmund, is excited to be working with such a talented group of players, and hopes he can help get the group over the winning line.

"I want to put the second star [for a World Cup win] on this shirt," he told reporters during his press conference at Wembley. "We will work hard for the biggest target in football, making our dream come true at the World Cup [in] 2026.

"I understood very quickly that it is a big job. I always think the job you are in is the biggest job, and it makes no sense to compare, but it feels big and feels like a privilege.

"I think it is pretty obvious I am very emotional. I love what I am doing and am passionate about football. This role just brought the young me alive and brought back my teenage days, to get excited for such a big task.

"Once I made a time frame up in my mind from January [2025] to the World Cup, I already felt excited.

"It suited my passion to push this group of players, and to be part of this federation with such a strong record in the last tournaments - to push it over the line and to try to put a second star on the shirt."

Lee Carsley will continue in his role as England's interim head coach for the remainder of the ongoing Nations League campaign, before Tuchel takes over the reins.

The German also addressed critics believing an Englishman should oversee the national team, believing his previous stint at Chelsea between January 2021 and September 2022 - during which he won the Champions League and Club World Cup - stands him in good stead.

"All of those supporters maybe felt my passion for the English Premier League and the country, and how I love to live and work here," he added.

"Hopefully, I can convince them and show them and prove to them that I am proud to be an English manager, and do everything to show respect to this role and this country and the target for the next 18 months.

"Everyone can be assured we will do it with passion and emotion. We will try to install values and principles and rules as quickly as possible to make the dream come true."

Ben Duckett conceded Pakistan "bowled so well" and "were right at" England during the second day of the second Test in Multan.

Duckett top-scored for the tourists, with a knock of 114 giving him his fourth Test century.

However, it was overshadowed by Pakistan's spin bowlers – particularly Sajid Khan, who ended the day with an impressive 4-86.

After claiming Ollie Pope early on, Sajid also struck out Duckett, Joe Root and Harry Brook, while Noman Ali took Ben Stokes as Pakistan picked up four wickets in the space of just three overs.

England finished the day at 239-6 – trailing their opponents by 127 runs – and Duckett could only salute the hosts' impressive bowling.

"Obviously, I'm happy with how I played," he told Sky Sports. "It would be nice to be going back out there tomorrow, maybe a couple of wickets less, but credit to them, I think they bowled so well throughout our whole innings.

"I felt like that's a period where you can step off and get some runs at the end of the day, but they didn't want to make it easy for us.

"I think they did [bowl slower] to me, knowing I was going to sweep a lot more. We thought the new ball was going to be the hardest phase, but looking back, that was when it was at its truest and sweeping was a lot easier.

"When that ball becomes a lot softer, it doesn't travel as far off the bat, and you're sweeping for two rather than four and the runs come a lot tougher.

"I think they bowled well, they were right at us until the end of the day, and got their rewards late on."

"We can see it's spinning, and I always think in situations like this, we can win that first hour tomorrow, get as close as we can to their score and then make it a one-innings match."

Ben Duckett's fourth Test century was overshadowed by Sajid Khan's spin bowling as England ended the second day of the second Test 239-6 in Multan. 

England started confidently with the bat, but the loss of four wickets in three overs had the hosts in the ascendency at stumps, with Sajid ending the day 4-86.

Pakistan resumed at 259-5 but lost the wickets of Mohammad Rizwan (41), Salman Ali Agha (31) and Sajid (two) early on, with Brydon Carse and Jack Leach doing the damage. 

Leach would end with figures of 4-114 for the first innings, claiming the dismissal of Noman Ali (32) as England were set a target of 366 to chase. 

Zak Crawley (27) fell after 12 overs having had two huge let-offs before being caught by Rizwan, then Ollie Pope (29) fell to Sajid, who would later demolish the rest of England's top and middle order.

Sajid grabbed the wicket of Joe Root (34) before striking out Duckett, who had notched 114 runs from his 129 deliveries in a composed showing at the crease.

However, Sajid was not finished there. Harry Brook, England's star from the first Test, was bowled out for nine, while Stokes was given his marching orders by Noman Ali, as the tourists lost four important wickets in just 18 balls. 

Carse (two) and Jamie Smith (12) were able to halt the onslaught late on, and they will start day three at the crease with England trailing by 127 runs.

Data Debrief: Duckett outshone by Sajid

Duckett's knock of 114 was his fourth Test century and his second in Pakistan, with 23% of his runs so far coming from sweeps.

Only one England player since 2006 (Joe Root versus Sri Lanka in 2018) has scored more of his first 100 runs in a specific Test innings with the sweep shot.

But his display was overshadowed by Sajid's showing with the ball in hand. His spin proved difficult to manage on the Multan surface, and Pakistan will be hoping that he can continue that form on Thursday.

Thomas Tuchel has been confirmed as the new England boss, the Football Association announced on Wednesday.

Tuchel had been out of work since leaving Bayern Munich at the end of last season but will now become the 16th permanent manager to take charge of England.

The German becomes the first non-English boss to lead the Three Lions since Fabio Capello in 2012, and only the third overall, following the Italian and Sven-Goran Eriksson.

In a statement released by the Football Association, Tuchel said: "I am very proud to have been given the honour of leading the England team. 

"I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already. 

"To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting. 

"Working closely with Anthony [Barry] as my assistant coach, we will do everything we can to make England successful and the supporters proud. I want to thank the FA for their trust and I am looking forward to starting our journey together."

Lee Carsley had taken interim charge of England following Gareth Southgate's resignation after the 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final.

Carsley has won three of his four games in charge and will remain in place for England's final two Nations League matches against Greece and the Republic of Ireland in November, with Tuchel taking the reins from January 1, assisted by his former Chelsea and Bayern number two Anthony Barry.

Carsley did, however, come under scrutiny after a dismal performance against Greece on October 10, with the Three Lions losing 2-1 at Wembley.

Carsley acknowledged England needed a "world-class coach" who had won silverware, and that is what Tuchel brings to the table.

Tuchel has managed 578 games across his club career, winning 331 (D114 L133), registering a win percentage of 57.3%.

After replacing Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund, Tuchel enjoyed a hugely successful spell with Paris Saint-Germain between 2018 and 2020, winning two Ligue 1 titles among his six major honours, and overseeing a win ratio of 74.8% in all competitions.

He subsequently joined Chelsea, leading the Blues to Champions League glory in 2021.

In doing so, he became the first coach to reach consecutive European finals with two different clubs, having guided PSG to their first Champions League showpiece the previous campaign.

He departed Stamford Bridge in 2022, having won 60 of his 100 games in charge (D24 L16), with his win percentage (60%) the fourth-highest of any Chelsea boss who managed at least 100 games.

Tuchel then joined Bayern midway through the 2022-23 season, helping them to their 11th consecutive Bundesliga crown before being replaced by Vincent Kompany after finishing third last term.

But Tuchel's next assignment could be his most difficult yet, with England looking to end their long wait for an international trophy, having last succeeded at the 1966 World Cup.

The 51-year-old also faces a tough act to follow in Southgate, who won 61 of his 102 matches in charge with the Three Lions.

Southgate's 14 wins at major tournaments are the most of any manager in England's history, while they reached more finals (two) in four attempts than they did in their first 23 appearances at the World Cup and Euros.

Only Walter Winterbottom (78) and Alf Ramsey (69) managed more wins than Southgate, while he became only the third England manager to reach 100 games in charge.

Harry Kane remains unaware of ongoing discussions for Thomas Tuchel to take over as England manager but lauded his "fantastic" former head coach.

The England captain enjoyed a record-breaking debut season for Bayern Munich under Tuchel last campaign, before the 51-year-old was dismissed and replaced by Vincent Kompany.

Kane could reunite with Tuchel soon, however, amid widespread reports on Tuesday that the former Chelsea and Bayern boss has agreed to become England's permanent manager.

Former Tottenham talisman Kane refused to delve too deep into the capabilities of Tuchel due to the ongoing discussions, but still spoke highly of his previous experience with him.

"Until it's announced obviously I can't really comment, but we have to wait and see," the striker told Sky Sports in Germany.

"Obviously, I know Thomas well from last year. [He is a] fantastic coach, fantastic person. I am sure the guys at the FA will contact me, when they know more about it."

Kane scored 36 times in just 32 Bundesliga games last term under Tuchel, breaking the record for the most goals in a debut season in the competition.

However, that was not enough to keep the former Paris Saint-Germain boss in his role at Bayern, who parted ways with Tuchel after his side finished third behind Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart.

Tuchel still maintained an impressive 60.7% winning record across all competitions for Bayern (winning 37 out of 61 matches), a mark he only bettered with Borussia Dortmund (62.6%) and PSG (74.8%).

It may be Tuchel's cup-competition expertise that has drawn England to his skills, though, leading PSG to their first Champions League final in 2020 and winning the same competition with Chelsea a year later.

Indeed, Tuchel has managed 40 Champions League wins in 67 games, with his 59.7% winning ratio more than all but one England manager at major tournaments (World Cup and Euros) – Alf Ramsey had 66.7%.

Time will tell if Tuchel, should he be appointed, can provide a similar winning formula at the 2026 World Cup, where Kane will be delighted to work with his former boss.

Matthew Potts thinks England's second Test against Pakistan is "in the balance" after day one saw the hosts reach stumps on 259-5.

Kamran Ghulam was the star for Pakistan on his debut, with his sublime knock of 118 pushing them to their tally.

Jack Leach had taken two early wickets, finishing the day on 2-92, while Potts and Brydon Carse also got in on the action before Shoaib Bashir removed Ghulam late on.

Playing on the same pitch as the first Test, England's spinners struggled to make an impact compared to the seamers.

But Potts, playing for the first time since the Sri Lanka series in August after replacing Gus Atkison, remained upbeat about England's performance.

"We created a lot of chances over the course of the day. The boys stuck at it, and we are pleased where we are with it now," Potts told BBC Test Match Special.

"You don't tell a score until both sides have batted on it. It appeared to be flatter than we expected. The game is in the balance, a couple of early ones in the morning, and we will see what it is.

"I think it did spin; slow spin kept a bit low. The lads stuck to the basics really well in some strong heat today. A couple of early wickets in the morning and hopefully we can run through them."

Pakistan's Kamran Ghulam was in a defiant mood on debut as he frustrated England on day one of the second Test.

After their collapse in the second innings following England's show of force with the bat in Multan last week, Pakistan were looking for a response on Tuesday.

And on the same pitch as the first Test, which offered even less for the seamers but some joy for the spinners, Ghulam starred with a sublime knock of 118 as Pakistan reached stumps on 259-5.

Abdullah Shafique went for seven in the eighth over before Ghulam put on a third-wicket partnership of 149 with Saim Ayub, who made 77 before he was sent packing by Matthew Potts.

Shan Masood fell to Jack Leach (2-92), while Brydon Carse (1-14) picked up the wicket of Saud Shakeel before Ghulam was eventually bowled by Shoaib Bashir (1-66).

England captain Ben Stokes bowled five overs on his return but will be hoping for more luck on day two, with Mohammad Rizwan (37 not out) and Salman Agha (five not out) at the crease.

Data Debrief: Pakistan bounce back

England are undefeated in eight Tests against Pakistan (W6 D2), while the hosts have lost their last six matches in the longest format.

Another loss would be their longest losing run in Tests, but with Ghulam leading the way, they have made a great start in avoiding that fate.

There is plenty of time to go for England, who are hunting their first back-to-back victories in away Test matches since February 2023.

Ben Stokes believes Ollie Pope's brief foray into Test captaincy will be beneficial for England in the future ahead of his return to the fold against Pakistan.

Pope captained England in the absence of Stokes, leading his side to three victories from four matches, which included their 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka last month. 

The 21-year-old also helped England seal a record-breaking innings and 47-run triumph over Pakistan in the first of their three-match series in Multan. 

Stokes injured his hamstring while playing for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred in August, but replaces Chris Woakes for the second Test after fully recovering. 

Matthew Potts comes in for Gus Atkinson, though Stokes is confident that Pope's time being a top-order batter alongside the captaincy will stand him in good stead in the future.

"Authority, just that word in itself, can come across a bit like a dictator. No one in that dressing room certainly is that," Stokes told Sky Sports.

"I said it before when asked about this, being stand-in captain is harder than being captain because you know you are only doing it for a certain amount of games, and you are trying to still push forward what the current captain is doing.

"Popey has been involved under my captaincy from day one, so there was a lot of easy and natural ways to continue doing that, but what he also did was put his own stamp on things which were massively encouraged by myself and Baz [McCullum].

"For such a young player who has got quite a lot of experience now, having that exposure to being a top-order batter, but also captain will be really, really good for him in the long-term and I think he has done a great job.

"His winning percentage is better than mine. I think - winning three out of four Tests - he has done a great job and should be very proud of what he has achieved while I have been injured."

While Stokes allowed Pope to take the reins, he was in and around the camp throughout his recovery, ensuring his influence was still heard in the dressing room. 

He watched on as Joe Root, who overtook Alastair Cook as England's highest Test run-scorer of all time, and Harry Brook led their revival against Pakistan on day four.

Root's knock of 262 was his sixth double-century, and in the same innings, shared an England record stand of 454 with Brook - breaking Peter May and Colin Cowdrey's 67-year record of 411 at Edgbaston in 1957.

Despite watching on the sidelines during the home series against Sri Lanka and the first Test against Pakistan, Stokes is sure the England players are buying into the message he and head coach Brendon McCullum are trying to convey.

"When you are out in the middle, there are a few things you don't get the chance to see or observe because you are thinking about other things," Stokes said.

"But when you are actually sitting on the sidelines, you realise how committed everyone out on the field is to the very small things that me and Baz ask of everyone.

"Running after the ball to the boundary, backing the bowlers up, all the small things that in the bigger picture mean a hell of a lot.

"When the bowlers are bowling in this heat and see the ball hit through the field and someone sprinting chasing after it to stop a boundary, pulling out a dive.

"They don't always get there, but it is that sense that we are all in it together which is one of the most notable things for me, especially when you are the person trying to deliver those words."

Netball Jamaica has announced a powerful 15-member Sunshine Girls squad for the upcoming Horizon Home and Away Series, set to be contested over four games between Jamaica and England. The series, which will begin in Manchester, England, on November 16 and 17, before shifting to Kingston for the final two matches on November 25 and 26, promises to be an intense showdown between two of the world’s top netball teams.

 Jhaniele Fowler-Nembhard, Jamaica’s ace shooter and captain, will once again lead the Sunshine Girls as they prepare to take on England, the number 3 ranked team in the world. Fowler-Nembhard, who played a pivotal role in the team’s bronze medal performance at the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa, will be at the helm of a squad that blends seasoned international stars with emerging talents.

 The 12-member squad traveling to England includes a mix of attacking powerhouses and defensive stalwarts. Alongside Fowler-Nembhard, Shanice Beckford, Mischa Creary, and Rhea Dixon will lead the attack, while the center court will be commanded by Abigale Sutherland, Khadijah Williams, Crystal Plummer, and Theresa Beckford. On the defensive end, Shamera Sterling Humphrey, Kadie-Ann Dehaney, Latanya Wilson, and Jody-Ann Ward will provide the backbone for the Sunshine Girls.

 Three members of the current Fast 5 squad—Zaudi Green, Kimone Shaw, and Simone Gordon—will join the team for the Kingston leg of the series, further strengthening the squad as they face England in front of their home crowd.

 Newly appointed head coach Sasher-Gaye Henry expressed confidence in her team’s ability to rise to the occasion. "It will be two weeks of high-intensity, top-quality netball action at home and away. We just want all netball fans to come out and support the girls for the games in Kingston," Henry said. "We are happy that our full senior squad is fit and ready for action, and that the new members of the team will have a chance to be fully integrated."

 The Sunshine Girls, ranked 4th in the world, are looking forward to an exciting series. Captain Fowler-Nembhard shared her enthusiasm, noting the significance of the rivalry between Jamaica and England. "We are always happy to be on court, and England and Jamaica are the number 3 and number 4 ranked teams in the world. We are expecting the usual high-energy support from the Jamaican fans in England and hoping this series will help us to improve our ranking," said Fowler-Nembhard.

 The Horizon Home and Away Series kicks off at the AO Arena in Manchester on November 16 and 17 before concluding at the National Indoor Sports Centre (NISC) in Kingston on November 25 and 26. Tickets for the series will go on sale next week.

The Sunshine Girls squad will be supported by specialist coach Rob Wright, performance analyst Kyle Hendricks, and team managers Roxan Long and Lydia Wilks. Team doctor Dr. Michelle Holt and physiotherapists Nicole Reid and Orianna Blackwood will also be on hand to ensure the team is in peak condition. Simone Forbes will serve as head of delegation.

 Netball fans can expect an exhilarating series as Jamaica aims to shine on both home and foreign soil against one of their fiercest rivals.

Richard Wigglesworth has been promoted to England's senior assistant coach after a reshuffle of their backroom staff ahead of the upcoming Tests.

The former scrumhalf will remain in charge of England's attack but will also now act as the number two to Steve Borthwick, collaborating with him on the team’s game plan.

The pair previously worked together at Leicester Tigers in the Premiership, leading the team to the title in 2022.

"Richard's deep knowledge of the game and his excellent tactical understanding means he has become a key figure in our coaching team," said Borthwick.

"He shares our emotional commitment to English rugby, and I am certain he will play a crucial role in driving the standards of this England team."

Wigglesworth, who made 33 appearances for England, added: "This is an exciting time for England rugby.

"Steve has created a coaching environment based on collaboration and hard work, and we are constantly evolving and growing and striving for success."

Meanwhile, Joe El-Abd is working as the defensive coach, while Kevin Sinfield has agreed to stay on with the team in a reduced capacity.

England take on New Zealand on November 2 before continuing their other autumn internationals against Australia, South Africa and Japan.

Pep Guardiola has played down expectations that he has decided to take over as the next permanent England manager.

The 53-year-old would be a popular choice for the job, given the success that has followed him at every club since becoming a manager.

Guardiola has won six Premier League titles at City, including each of the last four, while he won three league titles each with Bayern Munich and Barcelona. He is also a three-time Champions League winner and 10-time domestic cup winner as a manager.

But when asked about the England job amid reports claiming his next step had been decided, he was not drawn on any speculation.

"It's not true. I'm Manchester City manager," he told Che Tempo Che Fa, as per transfer football expert Fabrizio Romano.

But despite his dismissive comments, Guardiola stopped short of shutting down the rumours that he could be considering becoming the next England manager.

"I've not decided anything, everything can happen. So I don't know," he said.

"Let's see on my future. I still need to reflect and decide what I want to do."

Guardiola's contract at City is up at the end of the 2024-25 season, with the Spaniard yet to make a decision on his future at the club.

Alongside any potential sanctions that City might face in their long-running battle with the Premier League, speculation about their manager's future has been rife in recent months.

He is far and away City's most successful manager of all time, maintaining a win percentage of over 70% after 483 matches in charge, while he is second to Alex Ferguson as the manager with the most Premier League titles.

England captain Ben Stokes is fit to play in the second Test against Pakistan and returns alongside pace bowler Matthew Potts.

Stokes suffered the hamstring injury in August and has missed the last four Test matches, including England's record-breaking win last week as they beat Pakistan by an innings and 47 runs.

He replaces Chris Woakes in the side for the second Test, with Potts, returning for the first time since the Sri Lanka series in August, replacing Gus Atkinson, who misses out on his first Test since making his debut in July.

Meanwhile, Pakistan have made radical changes to their own line-up, dropping star batter Babar Azam along with pace bowlers Naseem Shah and Shaheen Shah Afridi.

It has also been confirmed that the second Test, beginning on Tuesday, will be played on the same pitch used for the first in Multan.

England are targeting a victory that would confirm their second consecutive series win in Pakistan, with the hosts looking to end a two-and-a-half-year winless streak at home.

England XI for the second Test against Pakistan: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (c), Jamie Smith, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir. 

Interim England manager Lee Carsley is adamant that he has not ruled himself out of the job on a permanent basis after hinting that he was not yet the world-class coach needed.

England responded to their shock 2-1 defeat at home to Greece on Thursday with a 3-1 victory in Finland on Sunday.

While the Three Lions were still not at their brilliant best, it was a marked improvement on their last match. However, conversation was dominated by Carsley's future and questions over who will take the role after the match.

"Definitely not," Carsley said after being asked in the post-match press conference whether he felt it was too soon for him to become the senior manager. 

"I tried to make it as clear as I could. My remit was for three camps. The point I was trying to make is it is one of the top jobs in the world.

"I'm not part of the process, but it deserves a top coach. The players we have available, we've got a real chance of winning. That was the point I was making."

Plenty had assumed that the 50-year-old's comments about still being on the path to becoming a world-class coach were effectively him putting himself out of the running for the job.

Among a volley of questions about the future of the job, he was asked directly if that was an incorrect conclusion to draw from those remarks.

"Yeah, definitely. Like I say, it's important that I do the best that I can," he said.

"It's a privilege to do this job. I feel well trusted, it's a great job and, you know, whoever gets it will be fully deserving."

Regardless of his comments in Helsinki though, Carsley does have a track record of being non-committal when asked about the potential of getting the job permanently.

That is, according to him, because he has been deliberately trying to keep an open mind about things after learning from previous experiences.

"I'm definitely reluctant [to say whether I want the job] because in the past, when I've done this caretaker/interim role, I've gone so far down the 'I don’t want the job' [route] that I've actually not done the job," he said.

"One of the things I spoke about when I was asked to take temporary charge is that it's important I keep an open mind because in that case, I’m not being reckless with my decisions.

"I'm thinking thoroughly about how the team should play, the squad I should pick, which is a challenge because squad selection is very difficult.

"The amount of players we have to leave out and what we've got available for us, and I've got another camp to do. It's just a shame we can't play Greece next week."

England's away game in Greece will be their most important in deciding their Nations League fate, with their upcoming hosts top of the group with a three-point buffer to second.

Carsley's side will need to win and then better Greece's result at Wembley if they are to have any chance of returning to the top division in the competition. But the interim manager was ultimately pleased with what he saw on Sunday.

"We won the game, scored three good goals," he added. "It was a shame we couldn't keep a clean sheet.

"I still don't know the players that well yet in terms of the way the team reacts to a defeat and a setback, so I was thrilled with the way they responded."

Jack Grealish is feeling the love playing under interim head coach Lee Carsley after the Manchester City midfielder's goal helped England to a 3-1 win over Finland on Sunday. 

Grealish was on target in the 18th minute, combining well with Angel Gomes for his fourth international goal, before Trent Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice sealed the Nations League triumph. 

The 29-year-old has now scored two goals in three appearances under Carsley, as many as he did in his first 36 England caps when playing for Gareth Southgate.  

Grealish made his feelings known after being left out of England's Euro 2024 squad, and has been a player reborn since his introduction back into the fold. 

"We could have had a few more, but it was difficult at times," Grealish told ITV on his team's display in Helsinki. 

"Whatever happens with the England manager, people will always say negative stuff.

"Before, people were crying out for all attacking players to play, and it didn't work. I don't get it, it can happen in games.

"I love coming here, a top, top manager and I love playing for him."

Grealish impressed again for the Three Lions, creating more chances (three), having more touches in the opposition box (seven) and accumulating the highest expected goals (xG) tally (0.63) for Carsley's side. 

Arsenal's Rice has also found a scoring streak since Carsley's arrival at the helm, notching his fifth international goal after turning home Ollie Watkins' cross late on. 

With Rice and Grealish's strikes, it was the first time the same two players have scored in back-to-back England away games since Bukayo Saka and Tammy Abraham did so against Andorra and San Marino in 2021. 

Rice was quick to lavish praise on Grealish after his "special" performance at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium, while also lauding Carsley's impact on the squad. 

"Do you know how good Jack is? He has something very special," said Rice.  He looks really confident, and I am buzzing for him. When he is playing well and happy, he is a massive boost for England.

"Since the manager has come in, he has been so honest, so refreshing. He has a way of playing, and he really wants us to stick with that."

Ben Stokes is expected to come back into England's side for the second Test against Pakistan, with the all-rounder returning to his peak fitness.

England captain Stokes has been out since the start of August with a hamstring injury but was seen in the nets bowling at full pace ahead of the next Test, which starts on Tuesday in Multan.

Former team-mate and bowling coach James Anderson says Stokes is firing on all cylinders as he prepares to return.

"He looks great. He has worked really hard on his fitness and looking as strong as I've ever seen him," Anderson, England's all-time leading wicket-taker, said to BBC Sport on Sunday.

"He's had a good bowl in the nets and looks good to go."

Anderson acknowledged that managing Stokes' workload could work favourably for England, who will expect spinners Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashar, as well as part-time option Joe Root, to do most of the bowling.

"When we're talking about Ben's workloads and his bowling, it might play into our hands with that, with the spinners potentially playing more of a part," Anderson added.

England did not miss Stokes in the first Test, battling to victory by an innings and 47 runs despite conceding 556 to Pakistan in the first innings last week.

Joe Root's stunning 262, coupled with Harry Brook's remarkable 317, led the fightback before left-armer Leach took 4-30 from just 6.5 overs in Pakistan's final-innings collapse.

Questions remain whether the same pitch will be employed in Multan, where cracks were already showing, instead of a new surface.

"Going off the last game, we did see it go up and down, mainly down, towards the back end," Anderson continued.

"The cracks started opening up. I'm no groundsman, but I don't think you can make cracks go back together that easily, certainly in three days.

"You'd expect it to do something off the cracks and with it being dry and hot again, you'd expect the spinners to play more of a part.

"We don't know what we’re going to get. It could be another pitch, or they have repaired this one really well and it's flat again."