Ben Stokes is back to captain the England cricket team this week in Multan, with two months behind him since he took a break from the game to recover from a torn hamstring. Chris Woakes out of the way as Matthew Potts in for Gus Atkinson, who missed the first Test, makes his debut.
Ben Stokes’ Road To Recovery
“I feel good. I’m looking forward to getting back on the field,” Stokes said ahead of his return. “I’ve worked really hard on my rehab at home and during the last Test match. I put myself through a fitness test over the last couple of days, and I came through that pretty well.”
Conditions Favor Spinners In The Second Test
England is expecting it to be a low-scoring game and looking forward to the second test played on the same pitch that they had an innings win last week. The pitch was watered heavily but dried up in the sun through practice days. For the two teams, spinners might be called into play for this test.
Seam Bowling Strategy
Stokes has been bowling and will be England’s third seam option behind Potts and Brydon Carse, his teammates at Durham. “It is going to be a proud moment for the club,” he said. “Durham has a strong history of producing England cricketers, especially fast bowlers.”
A Caution Approach To Bowling
On talking about his fit to bowl, Stokes said that caution has to be taken. “Playing on a used wicket made it a bit easier … We have two workhorses in the team Carsey and Potts who keep going. But I’m available to bowl, and when appropriate, I’ll be ready to make an impact.”
Team Reshuffles For Freshness
England’s seamers worked very hard in the first Test. Atkinson bowled 39 overs, Carse 38, and Woakes 35. Both Atkinson and Woakes have been rested after playing all six Tests of England’s home summer. Carse should be fresher as he had to serve a ban during the summer months.
He also commented on the tough games played lately: “The last seven Test matches have been pretty grueling, especially the last one. It’s a good time for our seamers to rest and refresh their bodies after a big summer.”
Batting Order Changes
Ben Duckett, meanwhile, will maintain his position at No. 1, while Jamie Smith slips from No. 7 to No. 7 to accommodate Stokes, who is keen to bat at No. 6.
Spinners On Course
England is retaining the spin duo of Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir despite a relatively quiet performance in the first Test. Bashir’s match figures read 1 for 156. Spin option Rehan Ahmed is part of the squad, while another leg-spinner in Warwickshire and England Under-19s, Tazeem Ali has been sharpening his skills in the nets while on holiday in Pakistan.
England’s Playing XI: Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Ben Stokes (C), Jamie Smith (wk), Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir
