Moeen Ali and Alex Hales will be given the chance to make their case as England's next Test opener in the United Arab Emirates, says coach Trevor Bayliss.
With Adam Lyth axed after a poor Ashes series, captain Alastair Cook will be given a seventh new partner since the retirement of Andrew Strauss, with Worcestershire's Moeen and Nottinghamshire's Hales vying for the role.
Moeen's elevation from number eight in the batting line-up would help England balance the side with an extra spin option, while Hales is a more likely long-term opener.
And although England have only two two-day warm-ups against Pakistan A, Bayliss indicated that each man would be given the opportunity to impress.
"I don't think we've got a definitive answer just yet. We've got a few days of practice and a couple of warm-up games before we select that team," he said.
"I think both those players will get an opportunity. We'll play the first one and then see what we need to achieve out of that last match.
"It will probably be determined on how we play in the first one, and who needs an extra hit, who's had enough... but I'm sure those two boys will get their opportunity.
"Whoever does well here is going to be very difficult to drop. A lot of it is up to the individual player."
Cook added: "It's between Hales and Mo, that's quite clear.
"Whichever side we pick, they have a great opportunity of doing something we haven't done for a while - which is getting a steady opening partnership."
With England's limited-overs side having finished their domestic campaign against Australia little more than a fortnight ago, the race is on to acclimatise to the balmier conditions in the Emirates.
"I started with a cold as I left England, and I think that's pretty much gone already," said Cook.
"It is warm, something we have to get accustomed to, so the first two training sessions tend to be hard work.
"We will get used to it, but it is very warm. That's part of the conditions we've got to face. Pakistan are probably a bit more used to it than we are, but we'll be fine. Just a bit of sweat, blood and tears for the first bit."
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