England captain Ben Stokes announced on Saturday that he will not participate in the first Test against Pakistan, set to begin next week, as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury.
Stokes, 33, has been sidelined since early August due to a hamstring tear sustained during The Hundred tournament. His absence also included the recent 2-1 home Test series victory against Sri Lanka.
Top-order batter Ollie Pope will once again lead the team in Stokes’ absence as they prepare for the first of three Tests starting in Multan on Monday.
“I did everything I could to get fit for this game,” Stokes told reporters. “Ultimately, I’ve decided to miss this one because I’m not quite ready to play.”
Despite participating in team practice on Friday and Saturday—where he batted in the nets and bowled a few deliveries from a short run-up—Stokes expressed uncertainty about his availability for the second Test, which is scheduled for October 15, also in Multan.
“I’ve pushed myself incredibly hard and have worked diligently with the medical team to reach this point,” he said. “I believe I’m ahead of schedule, and I’ll continue to put in the effort over the next ten days to try to be fit for the second Test.”
Last month, the England and Wales Cricket Board indicated that Stokes was “on track” to return for the series against Pakistan. “It’s always frustrating to miss out,” he added.
With Stokes unavailable, England has announced their lineup for the first Test, giving pace bowler Brydon Carse his debut in the longer format.
The touring side will field three pace bowlers—Carse, Gus Atkinson, and Chris Woakes—alongside spinners Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir. Additionally, opener Zak Crawley makes his return to the squad after missing the Sri Lanka series due to a fractured finger.
