England will be without their captain Ben Stokes for the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval on Thursday, after he was ruled out with a torn shoulder muscle. Vice-captain Ollie Pope will lead the side in his absence, captaining England in Tests for the fifth time.
Stokes, who suffered the injury during the drawn fourth Test in Manchester, was initially hopeful of playing as a specialist batter. However, after medical discussions and a short period of reflection on Wednesday morning, he decided against taking the field. The injury is understood to be a grade-three tear and will take at least six weeks to heal.
“The risk was way too high for damaging this any further than it currently is,” Stokes said. “It’s obviously very, very disappointing.”
England have made four changes to the side that played in Manchester. Jacob Bethell, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue all come into the XI. Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse have been rested due to heavy workloads, while Liam Dawson has been dropped.
Chris Woakes retains his place to lead a relatively inexperienced pace attack. Between them, Atkinson, Overton and Tongue have only 18 Test caps. Bethell and Joe Root will serve as the spin-bowling options, with England opting against including a specialist spinner for the match. The pitch is expected to favour seamers, with a healthy grass cover seen on Wednesday.
Stokes was the standout performer for England in the series, leading the wicket charts with 17 scalps and scoring his first Test hundred in two years during the Manchester match. He was named Player of the Match in each of the last two Tests. His absence is a major setback for the team, especially given his leadership and all-round contributions.
“I always try to push myself as much as I possibly can. There’s absolutely nothing I could have done differently before,” Stokes said. “Being a professional sportsman, injuries are part of the game.”
Bethell will bat at No. 6. The young left-hander impressed in New Zealand last year with three fifties at No. 3 in his debut series. “I’m very confident in his ability. He’s a quality player,” Stokes said.
Woakes will shoulder a heavy burden with the ball. He has bowled 167 overs in the series so far, his most in any Test series. Atkinson returns from a hamstring injury, Overton plays his first Test since 2021, and Tongue comes back into the team after missing the last two Tests.
Stokes will stay with the squad during the Test, as he did during previous injury absences. Pope, who struggled with the dual responsibility of captaincy and batting last year, will look to deliver a stronger performance on his home ground.
“We know that the series is still on the line here,” Stokes said. “It’s been toe-to-toe throughout. India will come out fighting, and we’ll be doing everything in our power to win.”
