Ben Stokes has been ruled out of England’s opening Test against Pakistan in Multan due to a torn hamstring. The England all-rounder, who has been recovering from the injury sustained two months ago during the Hundred, confirmed he is not yet fit to play.
“I tried my hardest to get fit for the first game, but I’m not quite ready,” Stokes said after a training session on Saturday. “We’ve decided to miss this one and focus on the bigger picture. I’m further ahead than expected, but I still need more time.”
Stokes, 33, is targeting the second Test, set to begin in 10 days, with hopes of returning as a specialist batter. However, he will continue working with the medical team to regain full fitness.
In Stokes’ absence, Chris Woakes will play his first overseas Test in two and a half years, while Brydon Carse will make his Test debut. Carse has impressed in recent games, and his pace and batting skills earned him a spot in the lineup.
Ollie Pope will captain England for the fourth consecutive match, having led the team to a 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka last month.
England’s team for the first Test also includes two specialist spinners, Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir, while Gus Atkinson, who is fit after a thigh injury, will make his overseas Test debut.
England XI for 1st Test against Pakistan
Ollie Pope (captain), Jamie Smith (wk), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir
England will hope to put their best foot forward in the absence of Stokes, as they look to start the series on a strong note.
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