Ben Stokes will miss the rest of the English summer after sustaining a left hamstring tear while playing in the Hundred.
Stokes sustained the injury while batting for Northern Superchargers against Manchester Originals on Sunday, prompting scans on Tuesday and forcing the all-rounder out of the three-Test series against Sri Lanka, which begins next week at Old Trafford. In a statement the England and Wales Cricket Board said the Test captain “is aiming to return” for the tour of Pakistan in October.
The absence of Stokes for the Sri Lanka series means Ollie Pope, the vice-captain, will lead his country in an international match for the first time. Pope was withdrawn on Tuesday by the ECB from his own Hundred duties for London Spirit as he prepares to become the 82nd England men’s Test captain.
Stokes will not be replaced in the squad to face Sri Lanka, which could prompt Chris Woakes to bat at No 7 as England’s primary all-rounder, with Jamie Smith moved to six. Woakes averages 70.25 from six Test innings at seven, courtesy of a hundred against India in 2018 and an unbeaten fourth-innings 84 against Pakistan two years later.
The 35-year-old has not played in the Hundred this season and was pulled out of the competition by the ECB on Monday “due to the management of his workload”, his team, Birmingham Phoenix, announced.
Jordan Cox would be in line to make his Test debut if England opt instead for a four-man bowling attack. The Essex right-hander was named as the spare batter in the original 14-man squad, with Surrey’s Dan Lawrence opening in the absence of the injured Zak Crawley.
Stokes’s injury blow comes not long after he returned to his duties as an all-rounder. Having struggled with a longstanding knee problem that severely limited his bowling last year, surgery in November was followed by promising returns with the ball for the 33‑year‑old this summer. Stokes took 18 wickets in three County Championship matches for Durham and looked sharp when taking five more in the series win against West Indies. But progress has been halted after he pulled up while running a quick single at the weekend.
