In a major setback for England ahead of the decisive fifth and final Test against India, captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out due to a right shoulder injury. The match, which is scheduled to begin on July 31 at The Oval in London, will now see Ollie Pope stepping in as captain for the hosts for the last Test match of the bilateral tour. England have made four changes to their playing XI, which includes the exclusion of pacers Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse, along with spinner Liam Dawson.
Stokes, who was named player of the match in the last two Tests, suffered a grade three tear to his biceps tendon during the drawn fourth Test in Manchester. Despite expressing hope of playing, the 34-year-old was visibly in discomfort, especially during his second-innings bowling spell, and has now been ruled out of the series finale. Stokes ended the series with 17 wickets, the highest by any bowler so far, and 304 runs at an average of 43.43, including a match-defining 141 at Old Trafford.
In Stokes’ absence, 21-year-old all-rounder Jacob Bethell has been included in the XI. Bethell, who made his debut against New Zealand last year, has shown skills and promising scope with 260 runs in three Tests at an average of 53. He will bat at No. 6 and also be England’s primary spin option alongside part-timer Joe Root, with Dawson dropped from the squad.
See Also:- Highest Run chase in ODI History
England have also rested Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse to manage workloads, replacing them with a relatively inexperienced pace trio including Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue. Atkinson and Overton have returned from injury layoffs, while Tongue was recalled after sitting out the last two matches.
With Stokes out, England’s seam attack now lacks a veteran leader, putting the burden on Chris Woakes, who remains the only pacer left to feature in all five Tests of the series.
Read Also:- Most Test Centuries by Indian Wicket Keepers
England’s lineup for the 5th Test:
Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue
England currently lead the five-match series 2-1 after wins in Leeds and Lord’s, with India bouncing back draw in Manchester. The final match at The Oval will decide whether England seals the series or if India manages to level it at 2-2.
