England Captain Ben Stokes Faces Fitness Concerns Before Sri Lanka Test Series
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| Big Concern for England Cricket /Getty Images |
Ben Stokes, the England captain, is a concern for the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka due to a suspected hamstring injury. Stokes was seen on crutches after he hurt himself during a match in The Hundred competition.
Worrying signs for England fans as Ben Stokes is carried the field while batting at Old Trafford 😓 pic.twitter.com/YKwR9gucvA
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 11, 2024
Stokes's potential absence might open the door for vice-captain Ollie Pope to lead the team. England, currently in sixth place in the World Test Championship standings, will be aiming to secure a series win on home soil to boost their chances of qualifying for next year's final.
"It doesn't look great unfortunately but I think he'll be getting a scan tomorrow and see how he is," Hary Brook told Sky Sports.
The West Indies series saw Stokes make a successful return to bowling, having been sidelined due to injuries during the Ashes series against Australia and the away series with India earlier this year. Following the Sri Lanka series, England is set to tour Pakistan in October for a three-match series.
The England squad for the Sri Lanka series includes :-
Ben Stokes, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, and Mark Wood.
The series consists of three Tests, with the first scheduled at Old Trafford from August 21-25, the second at Lord's from August 29-September 2, and the third at The Oval from September 6-10.
