What's happened
Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan due to a hamstring injury sustained in August. Ollie Pope will captain the team in his absence, while Brydon Carse makes his Test debut. Stokes aims to be fit for the second Test in ten days.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Rory Dollard from The Independent, Stokes expressed frustration over missing the first Test but remains focused on his rehabilitation, stating, "I’ve got a good 10 days to get myself ready for the second." Simon Burnton from The Guardian highlighted that Stokes is ahead of schedule but still uncertain about his readiness, emphasizing the importance of his recovery for the team's future matches. Both sources agree on the significance of Stokes' absence and the potential impact on the team's performance.
How we got here
Stokes injured his hamstring while playing for Northern Superchargers in August, missing the series against Sri Lanka. He had hoped to return for the first Test against Pakistan but is not yet ready.
More on these topics
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Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an island country in South Asia, located in the Indian Ocean southwest of the Bay of Bengal and southeast of the Arabian Sea.
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Benjamin Andrew Stokes OBE is an English international cricketer and current vice-captain of the England cricket team in Test cricket. Stokes was part of the England squad that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup. In July 2020, Stokes captained the England tea
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Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country with a population exceeding 212.2 million. It is the 33rd-largest country by area, spanning 881,913 square kilometres.
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Oliver John Douglas Pope is an English professional cricketer who plays for the England cricket team and Surrey County Cricket Club. He is a right-handed batsman who sometimes plays as a wicket-keeper.
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Northern Superchargers are a franchise 100-ball cricket side based in the city of Leeds. The team represents the traditional areas of North East and Yorkshire in The Hundred competition, which first took place during the 2021 English and Welsh cricket sea
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Christopher Roger Woakes is an English cricketer who plays for Warwickshire County Cricket Club and the England cricket team. He was part of the England squad that won the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
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Matthew Jack Leach is an English cricketer who plays for Somerset County Cricket Club and England. A spin bowler, he bowls left-arm orthodox spin, and bats left-handed.
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Brydon Alexander Carse is an English cricketer who plays for Durham County Cricket Club. Primarily a right-arm fast bowler, he also bats right handed. He is the son of Zimbabwean cricketer James Alexander Carse, who played in England for Northamptonshire.