England captain Ben Stokes is “on track” to participate in the upcoming Test series in Pakistan after receiving positive results from scans on his hamstring injury on Wednesday.
Stokes missed England’s recent Test series against Sri Lanka due to a hamstring tear sustained while playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred on August 11. In his absence, Ollie Pope captained the team as they secured a 2-1 series victory over Sri Lanka.
However, Stokes is expected to resume his captaincy for the Test series against Pakistan, following encouraging scan results. England is set to depart for Pakistan next week for a three-match Test series, starting in Multan on October 7.
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The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed, “England Men’s Test captain Ben Stokes today underwent planned scans on the hamstring injury that ruled him out of the Test series against Sri Lanka. The results were positive and indicated that his recovery remains on track for the upcoming Test series against Pakistan.”
While Stokes is likely to lead the team in Pakistan, there are concerns about his ability to bowl in the early stages of the tour. When asked about his bowling readiness for the first Test, Stokes remarked, “I think that’s getting ahead of yourself. I’ve spent six-and-a-half weeks just walking and doing gym work. There’s a lot more than just my hamstring that I need to get back to full fitness for bowling.”
