Ben Stokes reacts after being excluded from England's series opener against Pakistan

Stokes shared his frustrations regarding the injury and the decision to miss the match

PHOTO: AFP

England’s star all-rounder Ben Stokes has been officially ruled out of the upcoming first Test against Pakistan in Multan, set to begin on October 7. Stokes, recovering from a hamstring injury sustained during The Hundred in August, expressed his disappointment at not being able to participate, despite his efforts to regain fitness.

In a candid interview with Sky Sports, Stokes shared his frustrations regarding the injury and the decision to miss the match.

“I tried my hardest to get myself fit for this first game, but I've taken the call to miss this one,” he stated. “I’ve not quite managed to get game-ready. There is a lot that has to go into my rehab program. We got to a certain point, but looking at the bigger picture and physically where I’m at, I’m not quite ready to play.”

This latest setback follows Stokes’ absence in England's recent series victory over Sri Lanka, where Ollie Pope stepped in as captain. Pope will lead the Three Lions once again in Stokes’ absence for the first Test against Pakistan.

Despite the disappointment, the all-rounder remains focused on his recovery. “It’s always frustrating to miss out. I’ve got some good things to focus on, so even though I’m not playing, I’ve got a goal in mind. I’ve got a good 10 days to get myself ready for the second Test,” he said.

The first Test match in Multan will kick off a three-match series, with the second Test scheduled for October 15, also in Multan, and the final Test set to take place in Rawalpindi from October 24 to 28.

England's playing eleven for the first Test is as follows: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (C), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith (WK), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir.

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