Both Moeen Ali and Alex Hales will be given the chance to prove themselves as worthy opening partners to captain Alastair Cook in the warm-up matches ahead of the Pakistan Test series in the UAE.

Speaking after their first training session at ICC Academy since arriving in the UAE, both Cook and coach Trevor Bayliss confirmed that Ali and Hales are in contention for the opening berth while leg-spinner Adil Rashid is all but certain to be handed his Test debut during the tour.