England Captain Ben Stokes Ruled Out of Summer Due to Hamstring Injury

England Test captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out for the remainder of the summer after tearing his left hamstring while playing in The Hundred. The injury has forced the all-rounder to withdraw from England’s upcoming three-Test series against Sri Lanka, set to begin on Aug. 21, with vice-captain Ollie Pope stepping in as acting captain.

Stokes, 33, sustained the injury while batting for Northern Superchargers against Manchester Originals at Old Trafford. He was left on crutches following the incident and is aiming to recover in time for England’s three-Test tour of Pakistan, starting on Oct. 7.

This season marked Stokes’ return to The Hundred after a three-year hiatus. The injury occurred as he pulled up sharply while running a single, leading to his immediate removal from the field.

The setback is particularly disappointing for Stokes, who appeared to have regained full fitness this summer after undergoing surgery on a left knee injury that had hampered his ability to bowl.

He had skipped both the Indian Premier League and the T20 World Cup to focus on his recovery, later leading England to a 3-0 series victory over the West Indies, where he took five wickets at an average of 34.20 across three Tests.

Stokes managed to play three games for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, but his performances were limited, scoring just four runs and taking no wickets.

Looking ahead, England faces a demanding schedule after the Sri Lanka series, with tours to Pakistan and New Zealand later this year, followed by a pivotal 2025 that includes a home series against India and an Ashes series in Australia.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan expressed his concern over Stokes’ absence. “It’s a big blow for Ben and England as he’s captained the Test team remarkably well,” Vaughan told the BBC. “Let’s hope he can get fit for Pakistan, then New Zealand, and then everyone will be thinking about next year.”

Vaughan emphasized that Stokes’ injury was unfortunate but not due to The Hundred competition. “He could’ve torn his hamstring any time, it could’ve happened on the first day against Sri Lanka and affected the outcome of that match,” he said.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced that it will not add any replacements to the squad for the Sri Lanka series. The team is already dealing with the absence of opener Zak Crawley, who was ruled out due to a broken finger, with Dan Lawrence set to open alongside Ben Duckett.

Uncapped fast bowler Dillon Pennington, who was part of the West Indies series squad, will also miss the Sri Lanka Tests after suffering a hamstring injury in The Hundred. Essex batter Jordan Cox has been called up to the Test squad for the first time, while Nottinghamshire fast bowler Olly Stone has been recalled.

England now faces the challenge of filling the gap left by Stokes, who typically bats at number six. Possible options include moving wicketkeeper Jamie Smith up the order or debuting Cox in Stokes’ position, with adjustments to the bowling lineup as needed.