Ben Stokes has been sidelined for the remainder of England’s Test summer after suffering a torn left hamstring while playing for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred. As a result, the England Test captain will miss the upcoming three-match series against Sri Lanka, which begins at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on Wednesday, August 21—watch it live on Sky Sports.
Stokes injured himself while running between the wickets during a match against the Manchester Originals on Sunday. He required assistance to leave the field, and a scan on Tuesday confirmed the severity of the injury. The all-rounder was later seen on crutches, but he aims to return for England’s winter Test tour of Pakistan, scheduled to start in early October.
With Stokes unavailable, vice-captain Ollie Pope will take charge of the team for the first time. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has decided not to call up a replacement, leaving the squad at 13 players for the Sri Lanka series. Following the opening Test, the series will continue at Lord’s (August 29-September 2) and conclude at The Kia Oval (September 6-10).
Stokes had only recently resumed full bowling duties after his knee surgery late last year, contributing significantly during England’s 3-0 sweep of the West Indies in July when he bowled 49 overs and took five wickets.
Additionally, England will be without opener Zak Crawley, who fractured the little finger on his right hand while fielding at slip during the final Test against the West Indies at Edgbaston. Dan Lawrence is expected to step in alongside Ben Duckett, and Essex’s Jordan Cox has been called up to the Test squad for the first time after an impressive County Championship run, scoring 763 runs at an average of 69.36, including three centuries.
Cox also made a notable contribution with an unbeaten 61 from 30 balls for the Oval Invincibles in The Hundred on Sunday, just days after hitting 46 not out against the Southern Brave. In light of Stokes’ injury, the ECB has pulled Chris Woakes from Birmingham Phoenix’s final two group-stage matches to rest the 35-year-old ahead of the Sri Lanka series.
Expert Opinions
Sky Sports analyst Michael Atherton, a former England captain, commented on the situation, saying, “It’s no surprise to see Stokes needing help off the field; seeing him stretchered to the dressing room made it clear that his season was likely done. This is desperate news for him and bad news for the England team. If there’s one player you wouldn’t want this to happen to, it’s him.”
Atherton also mentioned the lack of squad additions, expressing curiosity about the ECB’s decision-making: “It’s interesting they opted not to bring in someone like Sam Curran or Craig Overton. Instead, they can either play an extra batter in Jordan Cox or an extra seamer like Olly Stone, potentially leading to a longer tail.”
As England prepares for this series, the impact of Stokes’ absence looms large, leaving the team to adjust and find their footing without their captain.
Credit: Sky Sports
