England captain Stokes ‘good to go’, says Pope

Vice-captain Ollie Pope reports that England captain Ben Stokes, who suffered cramp on day four of the fourth Test against India, will be “good to go.”

Stokes, 34, took 66 wickets in the evening session but made a comeback to score 77 not out as his team climbed to 544-7 and took a 186-run first-innings lead.

The all-rounder had hamstring surgery in January after torn his hamstring for the second time in five months in December, but he has now bowled more overs than anyone else in his career.

According to Pope, “he is just cramping down his left leg and it spreads to his entire leg.”

“He has been pushing himself to some serious limits, and that was a result.”

At the beginning of the summer, Stokes’ bowling was frequently discussed about how he would have to restrain himself to keep his body in check.

Despite that, Stokes has taken 16 wickets in three and a half Tests and is the series’ top wicket-taker. In the one-time Test against Zimbabwe, he only made a bowling return in late May.

Pope stated on day one of the third Test at Lord’s that he needed to ensure Stokes doesn’t “push himself to a ridiculous place” as a result of an injury scare.

However, with the game in danger, Stokes bowled marathon 9.2 and 10 overs to give England a victory on day one.

His first five-wicket haul since 2017 was 5 72 at Old Trafford.

Pope said, “I’m there to give him a nudge, but he occasionally gets this crazy look in his eye when you go over.”

Although “Roomy]batter Joe Root] plays a similar role, he occasionally gets in trouble.

He “gets his vision,” according to the cricket legend.