England's Stokes out of India series decider with shoulder injury
England captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the fifth and deciding Test against India with a shoulder injury in a devastating blow for the home side.
The England and Wales Cricket Board said vice-captain Ollie Pope would lead the team in the match at the Oval starting Thursday, with England 2-1 up in the series.
All-rounder Stokes has struggled with various fitness issues in the four Tests against India so far, during which he has sent down 140 overs -- the most he has bowled in any series.
The 34-year-old, who is the leading wicket-taker on either side with 17 scalps, has injured his right shoulder -- his bowling arm -- and it is understood he could need up to 10 weeks to recover.
"I am obviously disappointed to not be able to finish the series," an emotional Stokes told reporters on Wednesday.
He added: "I have got a decent tear of one of the (shoulder) muscles I can't pronounce. A bit of emotion goes into this kind of stuff when you find out what you have done –- bowling was ruled out as soon as we got the scan results."
The drawn fourth match of the series at Old Trafford, which ended on Sunday, was a personal triumph for Stokes, who became just the fourth England cricketer to score a hundred and take five wickets in the same Test.
But that came at a cost as the talismanic all-rounder, whose career has been blighted by hamstring trouble, struggled with a number of fitness issues.
India lost just four wickets in their second innings as they batted out a marathon 143 overs to keep the series alive.
- 'Give everything' -
Stokes, asked if he could have done any more to manage his workload, replied: "No, not at all. When I'm out on the field I play to win and give everything I possibly can.
"If I feel there's a moment in a game where I need to put everything I'm feeling aside I'll do that because it's how much this team means to me, how much playing for England means to me, how much winning means to me.
"There's absolutely nothing I could have done before. Being a professional sportsman, injuries are part of this game and I can't do anything about that."
India captain Shubman Gill, who has already scored four hundreds in his debut series as skipper, has no doubt about the impact of Stokes' absence.
"A big miss definitely for England," he said. "Whenever he comes on to bowl or in to bat, he always makes things interesting. He always makes something happen."
England do not play Test cricket again until they face Australia in the first match of the Ashes tour in late November, with Stokes considered central to their hopes of regaining the urn.
He said his decision to miss the India finale in London had been based on a simple calculation.
"It was more of 'What's the risk here?' he explained. "What's the worst possible thing that could happen with where this injury is at to where it could head to? Hearing where it could head to was not something that was worth taking a risk on."
England have made four changes to their team at the Oval as they attempt to wrap up the series.
Spin-bowling all-rounder Jacob Bethell makes his first Test appearance of 2025, effectively as a replacement for Stokes.
Fast bowlers Josh Tongue, Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton all come into the side, with Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse rested.
Liam Dawson has been dropped after just one match, with England opting to play without a specialist spinner, entrusting slow-bowling duties to Bethell and Joe Root.
K.Bastien--RTC
