England’s red-ball skipper Ben Stokes is set to miss the remainder of the English summer after tearing his left hamstring during a match in The Hundred. The injury occurred while Stokes was batting for the Northern Superchargers against the Manchester Originals on Sunday. Subsequent scans on Tuesday confirmed the severity of the injury, ruling him out of the upcoming three-Test series against Sri Lanka, which starts August 21 at Old Trafford.
Ollie Pope to Captain England Against Sri Lanka
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) released a statement indicating that Ben Stokes, the Test captain, is targeting a return for the October tour of Pakistan. Stokes’ absence from the Sri Lanka series means that Ollie Pope, the team’s vice-captain, will lead England for the first time in an international match. On Tuesday, the ECB pulled Pope from his own Hundred commitments with the London Spirit to prepare for this new responsibility. With this opportunity, Pope is set to become England’s 82nd men’s Test captain.
The ECB has decided not to call up a replacement for Stokes in the squad, a decision that could see Chris Woakes promoted to bat at No. 7 as the team’s leading all-rounder, with Jamie Smith likely moving up to No. 6. Woakes has a solid record at this position, averaging 70.25 from six Test innings, highlighted by a century against India in 2018 and an unbeaten 84 against Pakistan in 2020. 35-year-old Woakes participated in the Hundred this season, with the ECB withdrawing him from the competition on Monday to manage his workload, as announced by his team, Birmingham Phoenix. 
If England opts for a four-man bowling attack instead, Jordan Cox could be in line for his Test debut. The Essex right-hander was initially named as the spare batter in the 14-man squad, with Surrey’s Dan Lawrence slated to open in place of the injured Zak Crawley.
The 33-year-old’s injury comes shortly after his return to all-rounder duties following knee surgery last November. His recent form had been promising, with 18 wickets in three County Championship matches for Durham and five wickets in the series win against the West Indies. However, his progress has been interrupted by this hamstring tear, sustained while attempting a quick single.
England hopes to have Stokes back for the three-Test tour of Pakistan, where his leadership was instrumental in securing a 3-0 series win in 2022. The first Test in Pakistan is scheduled to begin in Multan on October 7. Meanwhile, for Pope, this captaincy role has been anticipated since he was appointed vice-captain last summer. The 26-year-old has leadership experience, having led Surrey in first-class cricket and the T20 Blast.
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