Pope replaces unfit Stokes as captain for first Test

LAHORE: England’s Test captain Ben Stokes has been officially ruled out of the first Test against Pakistan, which is set to begin on October 7 at the Multan Cricket Stadium.

Ollie Pope will be the stand-in captain as Stokes is still recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during The Hundred in August.

England also revealed their Playing XI for the first Test. Seamer Brydon Carse is set to make his Test debut. Spinner Jack Leach makes a return to Test cricket after recovering from injury, while Zak Crawley has been cleared to play after overcoming a broken finger sustained earlier in the summer.

The England squad is bolstered by seasoned players such as Joe Root, Harry Brook, and Ben Duckett.

Pope, Duckett, and Crawley will lead the top order, while Brook and Root are expected to form the backbone of the middle order. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith is also part of the lineup, ensuring that England remains competitive against a Pakistan team eager to turn their fortunes around after recent struggles.

The decision to rest Stokes was made after he failed to achieve full match fitness despite participating in training with the squad.

His hamstring injury, which he sustained in August, has kept him out of action since then, including during England’s home series against Sri Lanka.

The 33-year-old all-rounder had expressed hope of making a return for the Pakistan series, but ultimately his rehabilitation progress fell short.

Stokes expressed his frustration in an interview with Sky Sports. “I tried my hardest to get myself fit for this first game, but I’ve taken the call to miss this one. I’m not quite match-ready,” Stokes explained.

England Playing XI for first Pakistan Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (C), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse (Debut), Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir.