![[WATCH]- Ben Stokes Returns To Batting Practice In The Nets After Being Sidelined From The ENG vs SL Test Series](https://cricfit.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/img_9121-1.jpg "[WATCH]- Ben Stokes Returns To Batting Practice In The Nets After Being Sidelined From The ENG vs SL Test Series")
The nets are once again being used by Ben Stokes, Test captain of England while practising his capabilities a week after being barred from the three-match series against Sri Lanka. Following this, the all-rounder was seen hitting some balls in a video clip that went up on various social media platforms.
During The Hundred 2024 match played between Northern Superchargers and Manchester Originals, he tore his hamstring. Having seen him, the England Cricket Board (ECB) resolved not to let him play any part in the series. Nonetheless, he cannot wait to recover for the October three-Test trip to Pakistan.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨
Ben Stokes is back in the nets, just two weeks after tearing his hamstring.
Keep going Ben 💪#ENGvSL pic.twitter.com/ShNmJ7LOhE
— England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) August 24, 2024
The current Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford in Manchester is the first one the Durham all-rounder has missed since taking on the role of full-time captain.
“It’s great to have him around” – Ollie Pope comments on Ben Stokes’ presence in the dressing room
Before becoming the representative of the country when given a chance, he had never played that role but for what it might be worth to him. Noting this, Ollie Pope, who is standing in place of Ben Stokes as an acting captain of English cricket team expressed that they would use this time to check how far they have developed without their star player.
At least in his view, nothing will be different about the way England plays according to a statement made by him as quoted by The Guardian:
“We’ll miss Stokesy the captain and Stokesy the all-rounder, but for us as a team, in the long term, it’s a good opportunity to test ourselves without him. He’s pretty clear that he wants me to go out and do my thing my own way, but he’s more than happy to talk things through when I want to lean on him.”
”It’s great to have him around. None of the messages are going to be different, we’re not going to play any differently. I’ll just be getting similar messages across, in my own way.”
However, Pope’s performance as a batter hasn’t gone as expected, as he was dismissed for single-digit scores in Manchester against Sri Lanka.
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