Dan Lawrence will open the batting for England in the first Test of a three-match series against Sri Lanka on Wednesday, while Matthew Potts has been drafted in to compensate for the loss of captain Ben Stokes to injury.

Lawrence has only operated as an opener a handful of times in his first-class career but returns to the England side for the first time in two-and-a-half years after Zak Crawley's fractured finger opened up a vacancy at the top of the order.

Meanwhile, 25-year-old Potts provides an extra bowling option with all-rounder Stokes set to miss the entire series after tearing his hamstring during The Hundred. (AFP)