Ben Stokes described his lateral strain detected during Ashes’ fourth test while bowling as “agony” and “what surgery without anesthesia feels like” in his Mirror column; England’s off-roader hopes to play hitter in Hobart
Ben Stokes suffered a lateral strain in Test 4 and would not bowling if he played at Hobart
Ben Stokes has outlined his desire to play specialist hitter in England’s latest Pink Ball Ash Test against Australia.
The off-roader suffered a lateral strain while bowling during the tied Test fourth in Sydney and is therefore a doubt for the final Test in Hobart, which begins on Friday.
Stokes said a late call will be made regarding his appearance in the upcoming England XI, although bowling will not be possible after sustaining an injury he described as “agony” and “what surgery without anesthesia feels like” at his Mirror column.
“The big question now is whether I can play the final game as a hitter or not,” Stokes added.
“I still am not going to say it definitively because there are still a few days left and we have to see how I respond to the treatment, but what I am going to say is that I want to play.
“If it comes down to playing with a little pain, I know it’s not going to be as bad as it was in Sydney and I got through well. But there are other things to consider, like the West Indies tour to come and the likelihood of do more damage. “
Stokes’ desire to play echoes what Nasser Hussain said to the Sky Sports Cricket PodcastAlthough the former England captain suggested that a more cautious approach might be wiser.
“I don’t think there is a price tag for Stokes bowling, and can his valuable asset play like a batter, grimacing after every ball?” Hussein said.
“He would want to, he will be desperate to do it, you know how it is. But, in soccer, would a coach initiate a player who is injured?
“I don’t think it’s due in professional sports, no matter how much the boy wants to play. If he’s not in shape, I’d leave him out.”
We know for sure Jos Buttler won’t play – the wicketkeeper-batter’s Ashes series has ended after sustaining a finger injury while holding onto Australia’s opening innings at Sydney Cricket Ground.
Sam Billings, having driven 500 miles from Queensland to Sydney to connect with the England team after a Big Bash stint with the Sydney Thunder, looks set to take the gloves on at Hobart in what will be his test debut afterward. of 58 cue ball appearances for his country – 33 T20s and 25 one-day internationals.
That’s despite Ollie Pope seamlessly replacing an injured Buttler in Australia’s second inning in Sydney, claiming a joint record of four receptions as a backup fielder in a test match.
Pope’s near-flawless performance (he had a tough chance while Usman Khawaja was 70) was noticed by England’s assistant coach Graham Thorpe, but Billings holds up more regularly and should get the nod.
Jonny Bairstow would be an option to keep under normal circumstances – you feel like the wicket hitter is the role you really want on the England team and one you can still regain in the long run.
But after a gruesome blow to the thumb from a Pat Cummins installment during his first hundredth inning last week, tourists may be wary of giving him the gloves for now. However, if your thumb is fine, then sky sports the expert Hussain would give Bairstow the concert behind the stumps.
Should Bairstow and Stokes miss, Pope and Dan Lawrence are poised to move into the middle order, although England could potentially play Pope or Lawrence and then incorporate Chris Woakes or Craig Overton at No. 7, with Billings hitting at No. number 6. to get a fifth front-line pitcher on the side. However, that would lengthen the tail even more.
