Ben Stokes Injured, Ollie Pope to Lead England in Sri Lanka Series
England’s Test captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out for the rest of the English summer due to a hamstring tear. He sustained the injury during The Hundred tournament and will miss the two-match series against Sri Lanka starting on August 21.
In Stokes’ absence, Ollie Pope will serve as the captain of the Test team. Stokes was seen on crutches after the game between Northern Superchargers and Manchester Originals. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) stated that the 33-year-old aims to regain full fitness for England’s tour of Pakistan in early October, where they will play a three-match Test series.
Stokes had returned to full fitness after knee surgery in November 2023, which had previously limited him to batting only. Since his return, he resumed bowling duties and played in series against India and the West Indies. England recently swept the West Indies 3-0 to move up to 6th place in the World Test Championship standings.
The England squad for the Sri Lanka series includes:
| Player |
|---|
| Ollie Pope (captain) |
| Gus Atkinson |
| Shoaib Bashir |
| Harry Brook |
| Jordan Cox |
| Ben Duckett |
| Dan Lawrence |
| Matthew Potts |
| Joe Root |
| Jamie Smith |
| Olly Stone |
| Chris Woakes |
| Mark Wood |
Doubts Revealed
Ben Stokes -: Ben Stokes is a famous cricket player from England. He is known for being very good at both batting and bowling.
Ollie Pope -: Ollie Pope is another cricket player from England. He will be the captain of the team for the matches against Sri Lanka.
hamstring tear -: A hamstring tear is an injury to the muscles at the back of the thigh. It can be very painful and takes time to heal.
Sri Lanka -: Sri Lanka is a country in South Asia, near India. It has its own cricket team that plays against other countries.
Test captain -: A Test captain is the leader of a cricket team in Test matches, which are long games that can last up to five days.
Joe Root -: Joe Root is a well-known cricket player from England. He is famous for his excellent batting skills.
Chris Woakes -: Chris Woakes is an English cricket player who is good at both batting and bowling.
Mark Wood -: Mark Wood is a fast bowler from England. He is known for his speed and ability to take wickets.
tour of Pakistan -: A tour of Pakistan means that the England cricket team will travel to Pakistan to play cricket matches there.
