It was not a particularly good day on the field for England Test captain Ben Stokes. Playing in the Hundred tournament against Manchester for his team, the Northern Superchargers, Stokes found himself in a seriously injured state. The all-rounder was carried off the pitch by two members of his team’s staff.
The incident occurred when Stokes was trying to take a quick single. All of a sudden, he clutched the back of his left leg and collapsed on the ground in agony. He suffered a serious hamstring injury that is likely to sideline him for some time. It was such a sad moment to see the England star like that, with fans and team members finding it very depressing.
Stokes Injured in Hundred Match
This will be a real blow to England, whose Test series against Sri Lanka begins on August 21. That series is due to be played at Old Trafford, the very venue where Stokes picked up his injury. His absence could dent not just preparation but also performance.
Another blow to the English camps came in the form of opener Zak Crawley, who will now not be available to play in the Sri Lanka series due to a broken finger. During the third Test against the West Indies, Crawley fractured his little finger while trying to catch the ball. He will focus his time on getting fit for England’s October tour of Pakistan.
Lawrence, Stone in England Test Squad Changes
With Crawley out of reckoning, Dan Lawrence is likely to open the batting with Ben Duckett. Lawrence has been part of various England squads but hasn’t featured in a Test match since 2022. He has had a good season in the County Championship, so he is a solid selection for filling the gap. There are some new faces included in England’s squad for the series. Gus Atkinson and Jamie Smith made their Test debuts against the West Indies. Jordan Cox, an Essex batsman who was earlier added to the white-ball tour of Pakistan in 2022, will debut in the Test.
The uncapped seamer Dillon Pennington, who was already in the squad for the West Indies series, has also missed the cut. He picked up an injury in his hamstring during The Hundred and will sit out the rest of the English summer. The upside, though, is that Olly Stone of Nottinghamshire has been recalled to the Test squad for the first time since 2021. He will be gunning to add to his three Test caps, looking to make a telling difference in the upcoming series.
England Faces Test Series with Key Injuries
These are the type of blows that come at the wrong time, just when England is gearing up for the Test series against Sri Lanka. However, there is enough depth in the team to adjust and do well. The first Test gets underway at Old Trafford, followed by games at Lord’s and The Oval. Injuries are part and parcel of cricket, but seeing key players like Ben Stokes and Zak Crawley on the sidelines is tough. The fans will be watching with bated breath as to how England adapts to this and who will step up to fill these big shoes. The series against Sri Lanka is sure to test the resolve and depth of England.
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