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Ben Stokes out of fifth Test: England make four changes for pivotal India clash as captain absent through injury

England captain Ben Stokes will not feature in the fifth Test against India at The Oval with the home side making as many as four changes.

England captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the fifth Test match with India due to injury.

Stokes earned the Player of the Match award in the fourth Test last week after taking five wickets and hitting a century during the first innings.

However, the 34-year-old visibly struggled fitness-wise as the match progressed, cramping up with the bat and having a shoulder issue while bowling.

Despite putting himself through the pain barrier and insisting several days ago that he remained likely to play at The Oval, it has been revealed that he is absent from the starting XI for the upcoming pivotal contest.

As a result, Ollie Pope will replace him as captain, and there have been a total of four alterations made to the team.

Gus Atkinson of England looks on during the England v Sri Lanka 2nd Rothesay Test Match on August 31, 2024

England make four changes for India fifth Test

Stokes is joined on the sidelines by Liam Dawson, Brydon Carse and Jorfa Archer, the latter not being risked having played two successive matches on his comeback to the five-day arena.

Carse has also been involved in all four Tests, the decision being taken to show preference to fresh bodies over sticking with a tiring attack.

As a result, England will line up with three new fast bowlers at the bottom of their lineup, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton and Josh Tongue stepping up in the aforementioned trios places.

Twenty-one-year-old Jacob Bethall comes into the team at number six for just his fourth Test match, expectations high after he averaged 52 over three Test matches in New Zealand at the back end of 2024.

He also offers a left-arm spin option as England rarely line up without an out-and-out spin bowler.

England go into the final match holding a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series.

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India keep series with England alive with battling fourth Test draw

India avoid any alarm on the final day of the fourth Test with England to secure a deserved draw at Old Trafford, keeping the best-of-five series alive in the process.

India have battled their way to a draw with England in the fourth Test at Old Trafford.

KL Rahul and Shubman Gill valiantly laid the foundations during the final two sessions on day two to provide the tourists with what had initially felt like an unlikely chance to keep the best-of-five series alive.

However, despite both top-order batsman losing their wickets before lunch, Washington Sundar and Ravindra Jadeja replicated their effort of remaining unbeaten throughout the afternoon session to effectively ensure that the game would end in a draw.

There were farcical scenes at the end as Ben Stokes attempted to bring the game to an early conclusion with no result possible, but India chose to stay out to enable Washington and Jadeja to complete deserved centuries.

Several of England’s players showed frustration and petulance from India’s stance, yet the batting duo deserved their moment after nullifying the bowling attack for nearly two sessions.

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Stokes surprises with ball

Stokes had been a doubt to bowl during the final day, his ailing body feeling the effects of a five-for and a century earlier in the contest, but he trapped Rahul (90) in front of his stumps with the score of 188-3.

Gill lasted a further 79 minutes at the crease, a pivotal period in the context of the game, as he made his fourth century of the series, the India captain eventually departing just before lunch for 103 off 278 deliveries.

The very next ball, Jofra Archer almost set up a hat-trick opportunity, Joe Root dropping a difficult chance to send Jadeja straight back to the pavilion.

That ultimately proved to be costly as Washington (101*) and Jadeja (107*) put on (203) for the fifth wicket to give India the momentum ahead of the fifth and deciding Test, which starts on Thursday.

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England end India resistance in bizarre fashion to seal epic third Test win at Lord’s

England defy some dogged resistance from India to prevail with a 22-run victory at Lord’s, the final wicket taken by Shoaib Bashir coming in bizarre fashion.

England have recorded a 22-run victory over India in an epic third Test at Lord’s, ending the match with the bizarre wicket of Mohammed Siraj.

Heading into what felt like a series-defining final day, India required 135 runs for the win while England needed six wickets, leaving the match on a tightrope.

India reached tea having only added 105 runs during the opening two sessions, valiantly keeping themselves in the match having been eight down at lunch.

However, despite Ravindra Jadeja making 61 from 181 deliveries over almost four-and-a-half hours, Shoaib Bashir bowled Siraj to seal the win for England, the ball spinning back, clipping Siraj’s foot and rolling into his leg stump, just one of the bails being removed.

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India got off to a positive start, adding 13 runs to their total, before Jofra Archer bowled Rishabh Pant for nine to leave the tourists up against it.

Opener KL Rahul followed for 39, Ben Stokes successfully reviewing an LBW decision to remove the dangerman, and Washington Sundar soon followed for a duck after being caught and bowled by Archer.

When Chris Woakes removed Nitish Kumar Reddy for 13 in the over before lunch to leave India on 112-8 and still trailing their target by 81 runs, the writing was on the wall.

Instead, Jasprit Bumrah superbly supported Jadeja, lasting 54 balls and 104 minutes before holing out for five off the bowling of workhorse Stokes, who ran himself into the ground with over after over.

Siraj would also last over an hour, his four runs coming from 30 deliveries, but Bashir found the good fortune with the ball that his teammates had been lacking since lunch by bowling the tail-ender, sparking pandemonium within the England side after one of the most feisty Test matches in recent memory.

England now hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series ahead of the fourth encounter, which starts at Old Trafford on July 23.

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India thump England on final day at Edgbaston to level Test series

India level the best-of-five Test series with England with a thumping win at Edgbaston.

India have recorded a thumping 336-run victory over England to win the second Test match at Edgbaston.

Unlike in the first game at Headingley where they dominated for large periods, India got over the line on this occasion to level the best-of-five series.

With England starting the final day on 72-3 when chasing 608, it was always going to be a case of the home side trying to battle their way to a draw.

However, Akash Deep, as he has been with the ball throughout the match, was superb during the opening overs of the day, removing Ollie Pope (24) and Harry Brook (23).

Eager to make up for his first-ball duck in the first innings, Ben Stokes was defiant for 19 overs, but the England skipper was removed for 33.

Fresh from recording the highest-ever Test score by an England wicket-keeper earlier in the game, Jamie Smith went about a counter-attack with confidence.

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His 88 from 99 deliveries at least provided the crowd with some entertainment, yet it was merely delaying what felt like the inevitable.

Once he departed with the score of 226-8, Brydon Carse (28) Josh Tongue (2) and Shoaib Bashir (12*) hung tough for over 14 overs to try to frustrate the tourists.

Nevertheless, Deep concluded the game by taking his 10th wicket of the contest, making it 6-99 for the second innings, as he removed Carse.

There is only a three-day break before the third Test, that commencing at Lord’s on Thursday.

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