The opening Test of the three-match series between England and Pakistan is scheduled to start on October 7 at the Multan Cricket Stadium. England team has announced their playing XI.
Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Harry Brook, Gus Atkinson, Brydon Carse, Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir, and Zak Crawley are the England playing XI for the first Test match against Pakistan.
Ben Stokes will not play in the first Test of England’s three-match series against Pakistan, which gets off in Multan on October 7.
The Test skipper has been out since August due to a hamstring injury, from which he is currently rehabilitating.
In replacement of Stokes, Ollie Pope, the vice-captain of England, will be the captain.
Pope will remain in the role for the opening Test against Pakistan after filling in during England’s recent 2-1 series triumph over Sri Lanka.
Stokes traveled with the team and took part in training, but doubts about his fitness persisted. When it became apparent that he had not yet recovered to full match fitness, despite early hope for his comeback, England’s management decided to rest him for the first game.
Stokes missed the rest of the English summer due to a hamstring injury he sustained on August 11 while competing for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.
