Ben Stokes Ruled Out of Final Test Against India Due to Injury
England Cricket Team Announces Playing XI for Final Test
On Wednesday, the England Cricket team revealed their lineup for the fifth and concluding Test of the series at the Oval in London, which is set to commence on Thursday, July 31. Unfortunately, the team has suffered a significant setback as Ben Stokes has been sidelined from the match due to a shoulder injury incurred during the Manchester Test.
Stokes' Injury Raises Concerns
There was doubt regarding Ben Stokes' ability to participate in the Oval Test due to fitness issues stemming from a shoulder muscle tear sustained on the last day of the Manchester Test. In that match, he achieved a five-wicket haul and scored a century in the first innings, but Team India managed to secure a draw, leading to a decisive final Test.
Replacement and Captaincy Changes
The England and Wales Cricket Board has confirmed that Stokes will not play in the fifth Test against India at Kennington Oval. Ollie Pope will take over as captain, while Jacob Bethell has been named as Stokes' replacement, marking his fourth Test appearance.
Ben Stokes Expresses Disappointment
Ben Stokes shared his disappointment about missing the crucial match due to his shoulder injury. During a press conference, he described the injury as a 'decent' tear and mentioned that the decision to withdraw was made after consulting with the medical team.
"I've got a decent tear of one of the muscles that I can't pronounce because I don't know how to say it. It obviously took as long as we could to make that decision around that," Stokes explained.
"I came down here this morning to give myself every chance I've seen, just to play as a batter. I was bowling and then ruled out as soon as we got the scan results. The risk was way too high for damaging this any further than it currently is. I wouldn't expect to put anyone else, any one of my players, at risk with an injury like this," he added.
Stokes' Performance in the Series
In the second innings of England's bowling during the Manchester Test, Stokes bowled for just 11 overs, taking the wicket of KL Rahul while conceding 33 runs at an economy rate of 3. He also batted for two days, scoring 141 runs off 198 balls, contributing to England's impressive total of 669 in the first innings.
Reactions from Fans on Social Media
Following the announcement of Stokes' unavailability for the series decider, many netizens expressed their views. Some believe this gives Team India a significant advantage, while others praised Stokes for his contributions throughout the series, particularly in the Manchester Test.
Comments included sentiments like, "No Bumrah and no Stokes, now it's an easy win for India," and "Ben Stokes not playing is a big blow for England, but a golden opportunity for India!"
England's Playing XI for the Final Test
In addition to Stokes, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, and Brydon Carse will also miss the match. They have been replaced by Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue. The final playing XI for England includes: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue.