Captain Ben Stokes has declared himself ready to take on a larger role with the ball as England prepares for the deciding Test against Pakistan on a pitch that has been "raked" to aid spin.
After recovering from a hamstring injury that sidelined him for over two months, Stokes bowled 10 overs during England's defeat in the second Test. Heading into the third Test in Rawalpindi, Stokes and Gus Atkinson are the only pace options in England’s squad, while leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed has been recalled to join spinners Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir.
Reflecting on his return, Stokes shared that he felt positive about his performance in the second Test. After pushing himself during training, he expressed confidence in his ability to contribute more this time around, especially with England fielding just two seamers.
Stokes, 33, had limited bowling opportunities throughout 2023 due to a long-term knee injury, followed by surgery in November of that year. After resuming his role as an all-rounder, he picked up a hamstring injury in August while playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred. Now, with England’s current setup, Stokes could open the bowling for only the third time in his 106-Test career, the last instance being on the same Rawalpindi ground in 2022.
After winning a high-scoring first Test of this series, England saw Pakistan reuse the same pitch in Multan for the second match, where spinners Noman Ali and Sajid Khan claimed all 20 wickets to level the series. Pakistan captain Shan Masood has indicated a preference for another spin-friendly pitch in Rawalpindi, and recent images have shown efforts to dry the surface using industrial fans, heaters, and windbreaks.
Commenting on the pitch preparation, Stokes observed that it was "pretty obvious" the surface had been raked, suggesting it would favour spin bowling. He remarked that raking likely aids spinners and anticipated where Pakistan’s bowlers might operate from. He added that the pitch could play well for the first couple of days before breaking down.
Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, who made his England debut in Pakistan in 2022 and became the youngest man to play a Test for England, has been brought back into the side. The Leicestershire bowler made an impact during that series with a five-wicket haul and has since taken 18 wickets in four Tests.
Stokes praised the leg-spinner's ability to change a game, noting that Ahmed's aggressive style is a major asset, along with his batting capabilities lower down the order. Stokes also commended the performances of Leach and Bashir in the first two Tests, expressing confidence in the spin trio as England looks to take the series.