Ben Stokes to Miss First Test Against Pakistan as He Targets Second Test Return
England all-rounder Ben Stokes has confirmed that he will miss the first Test of England’s tour of Pakistan, starting on Monday in Multan, as he continues his recovery from injury. Stokes, 33, has been out of action since early August and had been working toward a return, with England indicating 10 days ago that he was “on track” to feature in the series.
However, despite participating in some training sessions and batting in the nets, Stokes announced on Saturday that he was not fit enough to take part in the opening Test. Ollie Pope, who captained England during their recent 2-1 series victory over Sri Lanka, will step in once again to lead the team in his absence.
“I’ve tried my hardest to get myself fit for this game, but I’ve taken the call to miss out because I’m not quite game-ready,” Stokes told BBC Sport. “There’s a lot that goes into my rehab programme, and while we’ve made good progress, I’m just not where I need to be physically.”
Stokes admitted his frustration at missing the match but remained focused on his rehabilitation, with an eye on the second Test, which also takes place in Multan and begins on October 15. When asked whether he could realistically return for that game, Stokes responded cautiously: “I’m not sure. I’ve pushed myself incredibly hard and worked closely with the medical team. I think I’m ahead of where we expected, but I’ll continue working over the next 10 days to try to be ready.”
While Stokes left open the possibility of playing as a specialist batter, the prospect of him bowling remains uncertain. “It’s too soon to say whether I’ll be bowling in the second Test,” he said. “We have a good plan, and bowling is part of my 10-day schedule leading up to the next game. Hopefully, everything goes smoothly.”
With Stokes sidelined, England will once again rely on five frontline bowlers. Wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, batting at number six, provides added depth to the line-up. Bryson Carse will make his Test debut, earning selection ahead of Durham teammate Matthew Potts and Olly Stone. Carse’s inclusion comes just over a month after serving a three-month suspension for historical gambling offences.
The 29-year-old fast bowler, who placed 303 bets on cricket fixtures between 2017 and 2019—none of which involved matches he played in—was suspended in May. Despite the ban, Carse retained his England central contract and returned to the national team for a white-ball series against Australia in September.
England’s bowling attack will feature Carse, who brings the high pace England values, alongside Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, and Jack Leach. Carse also has two first-class centuries to his name, offering valuable lower-order contributions. Meanwhile, Stone will leave the tour after the first Test to attend his wedding in the UK next Saturday.
The England XI for the first Test will be: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (captain), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Bryson Carse, Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir.
Stokes’ return, if it materializes, could be a significant boost for England as they navigate a challenging tour of three back-to-back Tests against a competitive Pakistan side.
