England will head into the second day of the third Test towards India at Lord’s with recent doubts over the health of inspirational captain Ben Stokes.
The skipper pulled up with what gave the impression to be a groin problem late on Thursday’s (July 10, 2025), with Stokes receiving on-field therapy earlier than he batted on till the shut.
England have been 251-4 at stumps, with Joe Root 99 not out and Stokes, who received the toss, unbeaten on 39.
The 34-year-old Stokes’s profession has been blighted by accidents, with a longstanding knee downside requiring an operation in 2023, whereas the all-rounder has suffered two critical hamstring tears through the previous eight months.
In an encouraging growth for the facet, Stokes has been in a position to function as a absolutely fledged all-rounder in current video games after his health points restricted his influence as a energetic seamer.
But such is his significance to the steadiness of the crew, with England at the moment 1-1 in a marquee sequence at residence towards India as they construct in the direction of a showpiece Ashes tour of Australia, that crew chiefs will hope Thursday’s incident is merely a minor downside.
“Fingers crossed it’s nothing too serious and he can do something magic and come back strong,” stated England vice-captain Ollie Pope. “We’ll see how he pulls up tomorrow (Friday).
“We’ve got a big Test over the next four days and we’ve got a big two coming up after that so it’s important to try and manage him.
“That’s one of my roles, to make sure he doesn’t push himself to a ridiculous place with whatever he’s dealing with at the moment.
“I’m sure the physios and medics will work with him to lay out a plan and I’ll help push him in the right direction,” added Pope, who made 44 on Thursday.
Play ended with Root only one run shy of his thirty seventh Test hundred and a record-extending eighth such century at Lord’s.
Pope, nonetheless, doesn’t anticipate the star batsman to endure too many nerves in a single day.
“Obviously he’d have loved to have a hundred red (not out), but he’s got 36 of them, so I don’t think he’ll be too sleepless,” stated Pope. “He’ll get his head down.
“It would have been nice to see him get it tonight but he’ll be looking at the bigger picture and trying to make it a monster innings. Hopefully we can kick on and get 400, towards 500.”
