"Nothing to do with me", Stokes brushes off Pakistan selection question

When asked about Pakistan’s decision to leave out the trio after their defeat in the first Test, Stokes kept his response brief

PHOTO: PCB

England captain Ben Stokes is all set to return to the side for the second Test against Pakistan following a hamstring injury that sidelined him for several weeks.

Stokes, however, refused to comment on the ongoing selection debate that has stirred discussions in Pakistan, following the exclusion of several key players, including former captain Babar Azam, Shaheen Shah Afridi, and Naseem Shah.

When asked about Pakistan’s decision to leave out the trio after their defeat in the first Test, Stokes kept his response brief: "That’s Pakistan’s cricket issue. Nothing to do with me," he remarked.

On Sunday, Pakistan’s selection committee made the surprising decision to drop Babar, Shaheen, Naseem, and veteran Sarfaraz Ahmed ahead of the remaining two matches in the series. Aaqib Javed, a member of the selection panel, shed some light on the decision.

“Selecting the squad for the upcoming Tests against England has been a challenging task for the selectors. We’ve had to carefully consider current player form, the urgency to bounce back in the series and Pakistan’s demanding 2024-25 international schedule."

Stokes' return is one of two changes for England, who dominated the first Test, winning by an innings and 47 runs. Fast bowler Matthew Potts has been included in the side, replacing Gus Atkinson, while Stokes comes in for pacer Chris Woakes. Both Shoaib Bashir and Jack Leach retain their places as England’s spin options.

According to the England team management, Stokes has fully recovered, having batted and bowled without any discomfort during training sessions in recent days. Medical experts cleared the 33-year-old all-rounder for his comeback, marking his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury in The Hundred in August. The injury forced him to miss England's series against Sri Lanka and the first Test against Pakistan.

Pakistan's Playing XI for the Second Test: Saim Ayub, Abdullah Shafique, Shan Masood (C), Kamran Ghulam, Saud Shakeel (VC), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Salman Ali Agha, Aamir Jamal, Noman Ali, Sajid Khan, Zahid Mahmood.

England's Playing XI for Second Test: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (capt), Jamie Smith (wk), Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir