England have been dealt a massive blow ahead of their upcoming Test series against Pakistan, with star all-rounder and captain Ben Stokes set to miss the first Test in Multan. Reportedly 26 year old batter Ollie Pope, regarded as an unofficial vice captain, is set to take charge of the English side for the first Test.
Following a training session, Stokes confirmed that he has not yet fully recovered from the injury; a torn hamstring, he suffered two months ago during The Hundred.
With Stokes unavailable, Chris Woakes is expected to play his first overseas Test in two and a half years, and his first in Asia since 2016. Brydon Carse is likely to make his Test debut.
Notably, the aforementioned Ollie Pope will take on the captaincy for the fourth consecutive match, having led England to a 2-1 series victory over Sri Lanka last month.
Stokes began England’s training session by doing shuttle runs for the first 45 minutes alongside strength and conditioning coach Peter Sim. Later, he spent time batting in the nets, facing spin from Rehan Ahmed, local net bowlers, and receiving throwdowns from England’s coaching staff. However, he remains cautious in his approach to recovery.
England are expected to announce their final XI later today. They are likely to include two spinners, with Jack Leach returning for his first international match since January, joining Shoaib Bashir. Gus Atkinson, who has recovered from a minor thigh issue, is also set to play his first overseas Test.
