Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the fifth and final Test match against India. He picked up a shoulder injury in the fourth Test at Old Trafford. The poorly timed announcement comes just four days prior to the game. This now heaps considerable pressure on the England team as they seek to salvage a series victory.
Stokes starred in saving a drawn fourth Test. He led from the front, taking five wickets in each innings and made his first-class century, his first in two years. The injury has cast doubt on his fitness, particularly with such a close turnaround between matches. He finished with 24 overs in India’s first innings. Second times the charm, right? Wrong, as it’s clear that he played through a potentially serious injury— he logged just 11 overs in the second. Hell unfolded over the final three days of action.
Even though he felt he would be able to play in Saturday’s game, scans showed that it was more severe than originally expected. Stokes chose not to take further damage by playing as a batter.
“It is one of those of weighing up the risk-reward, and the risk was way too high for damaging this any further than it currently is,” said Stokes in a statement regarding his injury.
England head coach Brendon McCullum is 100-percent on Stokes’ side. He opines that the player’s long-term wellbeing must always take precedence over any short-term temptation.
With Stokes absent, Ollie Pope will captain the side for the fifth and final Test. Losing their star player is certainly not good news, but England is more confident than most that they can thrive without him. The team’s batting lineup will need to adapt, but they remain focused on securing a positive outcome in the match.
Stokes is now expected to miss about six or seven weeks. He’s due to start as captain of the England side in the Ashes series this coming winter. Lucky for us, this injury will not keep him from being on campus.
“When I’m out on the field I play to win and give everything I possibly can. If I feel there’s a moment in a game where I need to put everything I’m feeling aside, I’ll do that because it’s how much this team means to me,” Stokes added, reflecting on his commitment to the sport.
Stokes’ injury is a blow to the team and the fans, as well as the teammates. This is particularly true considering just how important the deciding Test is. BBC Sport’s Stephan Shemilt focuses on the challenge of missing a player of his immense quality. No one wants that especially with such a high stakes Test in the works.
Ben Stokes’ case has provided a lens through which to examine this physical aspect of the professional sports’ toll, and the increasing focus on player welfare. His passion and unyielding dedication to the sport are undeniable. Like any other professional athlete, he understands that injuries are an inescapable reality of the game.
“There’s absolutely nothing I could have done before. Being a professional sportsman, injuries are part of this game and I can’t do anything about that,” Stokes remarked.
England are preparing for an even bigger Test as they approach the series decider against India. Their goal is to maximize their strengths and reconfigure their game plan, without their superstar all–rounder. The upcoming match will test both team resilience and leadership under Ollie Pope’s captaincy.
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