Jamie Smith Ready to Step Up in Ben Stokes’ Absence for Sri Lanka Test Series
London [UK], August 15: England wicketkeeper-batter Jamie Smith is prepared to move up the batting order to number six in the absence of skipper Ben Stokes for the Test series against Sri Lanka, starting from August 21. Stokes is sidelined due to a tear in his left hamstring, sustained during The Hundred, and will miss the remainder of the English summer.
England has decided not to name a replacement for Stokes in their squad for the Sri Lanka series. In his absence, Ollie Pope will serve as the captain of the Test team.
Speaking about the potential move up the order, Smith said, “It would not bother me at all. One of the things that has been great in my career so far is I feel like I have batted in a variety of different positions and roles anyway, and I have gained some of these experiences.”
Smith also reflected on his Test debut against the West Indies, describing it as “mentally draining” despite the matches not lasting the full five days. He noted the emotional and physical toll it took on him, transitioning from county cricket to the international stage.
In the recent series against the West Indies, Smith impressed with his performance at number seven and eight, scoring 207 runs in four innings at an average of 51.75 and a strike rate of 71.62, including two half-centuries and a best score of 95.
Stokes had returned to full fitness following knee surgery in November 2023 and resumed bowling duties in the series against India and the West Indies. England recorded a 3-0 series sweep against the West Indies, moving up to 6th place in the World Test Championship standings.
The England squad for the Sri Lanka series includes: 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, and Mark Wood.
Doubts Revealed
Jamie Smith -: Jamie Smith is a cricket player from England who plays as a wicketkeeper and batter.
Ben Stokes -: Ben Stokes is a famous cricket player from England who is the captain of the England Test cricket team. He is not playing in this series because he hurt his hamstring.
Sri Lanka Test Series -: This is a series of cricket matches between the national teams of England and Sri Lanka. Test matches are a type of cricket game that can last up to five days.
Wicketkeeper-batter -: A wicketkeeper is a player who stands behind the stumps to catch the ball if the batter misses it. A batter is a player who tries to hit the ball to score runs.
Batting order -: The batting order is the sequence in which players go out to bat. Jamie Smith will bat at number six, which means he will be the sixth player to bat.
Hamstring injury -: A hamstring injury is when the muscles at the back of the thigh get hurt. This can make it hard to run or play sports.
Ollie Pope -: Ollie Pope is another cricket player from England who will be the captain of the team in this series because Ben Stokes is injured.
Adaptability -: Adaptability means being able to change or adjust to new conditions. Jamie Smith is good at playing in different positions in the batting order.
207 runs -: In cricket, runs are the points scored by the batter. Jamie Smith scored 207 runs in the recent series against the West Indies, which means he did very well.
3-0 series sweep -: A 3-0 series sweep means that England won all three matches in the series against the West Indies without losing any.