Ben Stokes is set to undergo a scan next week to assess his hamstring injury, as England remains hopeful the captain will be fit for the first Test against Pakistan. Stokes, 33, sustained the injury in early August, causing him to miss England’s 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka.
Despite his absence from competitive play, Stokes has continued to train, including a lengthy net session at Durham’s Chester-le-Street last week, and participated in the Celebrity Pro-Am at the PGA Championship at Wentworth. The upcoming scan is part of a routine recovery check rather than a response to any setbacks.
The first Test of the three-match series is scheduled for October 7. Stokes has stated that he will not rush his return, preferring to fully recover to avoid aggravating the injury. In early September, he shared with ESPN Cricinfo, "I’d rather take an extra two weeks than risk doing something worse and being out longer."
Despite the injury, Stokes has been named captain of the 17-man squad, which is set to depart for Pakistan on October 1. If Stokes is not fit for the first Test, Ollie Pope would likely continue as stand-in captain, as he did in the Sri Lanka series. In that series, England covered Stokes' absence by moving wicketkeeper Jamie Smith to number six and adding an extra bowler.
If Stokes can only bat, England may face a selection dilemma. Should they stick to the balance used against Sri Lanka, Stokes would have to bat in the top five, potentially forcing one of the regular top-order batsmen out. Alternatively, England could opt for four frontline bowlers, supplemented by Joe Root’s off-spin, a tactic they employed earlier this year when Stokes couldn’t bowl due to a knee injury in India.
Uncertainty remains regarding the venues for the three Tests. Initially set to take place in Karachi, Rawalpindi, and Multan, it is likely that Karachi’s stadium will be unavailable due to ongoing construction. While there were rumours that some of the matches might be moved to the UAE, it is now believed that all three will still take place in Pakistan, with one of the other two cities possibly hosting two matches.
England last toured Pakistan in 2022, achieving a historic 3-0 series victory—the first time a visiting team had managed a clean sweep in the country.