England Captain Ben Stokes Doubtful For Sri Lanka Test Series Opener After Injury

England's Test team might miss their captain Ben Stokes for the upcoming three-match home series against Sri Lanka. The all-rounder suffered a suspected hamstring injury during The Hundred tournament last week.

Stokes was injured while playing for the Northern Superchargers against the Manchester Originals at Old Trafford on August 11. He pulled up sore after attempting a quick single and had to leave the field.

If Stokes is ruled out of the first Test, his deputy Ollie Pope will lead England. The team aims to gather more points in their quest to qualify for next year's ICC World Test Championship final.

Harry Brook, who scored 43 off 26 balls in the Superchargers' win, hinted that Stokes might miss the opening Test against Sri Lanka starting on August 21. "It doesn't look great unfortunately but I think he'll be getting a scan tomorrow and see how he is," Brook told Sky Sports as quoted by ICC.

England recently swept the West Indies 3-0, moving up to sixth place in the World Test Championship standings. They aim to maintain this momentum against Sri Lanka.

The England squad also faces other injury concerns. Opener Zak Crawley and Dillon Pennington are out due to injuries. Dan Lawrence and Olly Stone have been named as their replacements, with uncapped Jordan Cox added as a spare batter.

England Test Squad to face Sri Lanka

Ben Stokes (captain), Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Joe Root, Jamie Smith (wicketkeeper), Olly Stone, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood.

Stokes was seen using crutches when he returned to watch his team from the dugout. Despite his absence on the field, the Superchargers secured a narrow seven-wicket victory over their northern rivals.

England vs Sri Lanka Test Series schedule 2024

• First Test: Old Trafford, August 21-25
• Second Test: Lord's, August 29-September 2
• Third Test: The Oval, September 6-10

The extent of Stokes' injury will be confirmed after scans on August 12. Recovery time for a hamstring injury can range from a few days to six weeks depending on severity.

This series is crucial for England as they aim to continue their strong performance and secure a spot in the ICC World Test Championship final next year.