Ben Stokes has had to pull out of England’s final Test against India at The Oval due to an injury. Stokes, who battled through the previous Test at Old Trafford with a shoulder injury, will miss the decider due to the short turnaround between matches.
In his absence, Ollie Pope will take over as captain of the team, which currently leads the series 2-1. Stokes has been replaced by allrounder Jacob Bethell, allowing England to include an extra seamer by omitting Liam Dawson.
Bethell, previously used as a No.3 batsman, will now bat at No.6 in place of Stokes. England has decided to revamp their bowling attack almost entirely after the strenuous efforts of Stokes, Jofra Archer, and Bryson Carse in the last Test.
Chris Woakes remains the only constant in the bowling lineup, with Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson, and Jamie Overton being brought in for their first Tests of the series.
Stokes’ absence is a significant setback for England following his outstanding performance at Old Trafford, where he scored his first Test century in two years and took 5-72 with the ball. However, he was visibly struggling with a shoulder injury during the final day of the Test.
Expressing his disappointment, Stokes mentioned, “We took as long as possible to make this decision, but the risk of playing was too high.” The team dynamics have shifted with Woakes now leading the bowling attack, supported by Tongue, Atkinson, and Overton.
Despite the draw-friendly pitch at Old Trafford, the series has been captivating with intense moments between the two teams. England faced criticism for their actions on the final day of the previous Test, while further controversy arose when India’s coach was captured in a dispute with a groundsman during a training session.
The England XI for the fifth Test against India includes Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope as captain, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith as the wicketkeeper, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue.