England to assess Stokes before naming team

England will assess whether Ben Stokes is fit to bowl before naming their team for the first Test against Pakistan

England will assess whether Ben Stokes is fit to bowl before naming their team for the first Test against Pakistan.

Stokes played as a specialist batsman in the series-sealing win over West Indies last month with a quad injury preventing him from bowling.

Captain Joe Root says a decision is likely to made on the morning of Wednesday’s opener against Pakistan, although Stokes did bowl in the nets on Monday.

England vs Pakistan

August 5, 2020, 10:30am

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England played seamers Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer in the final Test against West Indies, alongside spinner Dom Bess, with batsman Zak Crawley dropping out of the XI.

Crawley, paceman Mark Wood and all-rounder Sam Curran remain in England’s unchanged 14-man squad for the first of three Tests against Pakistan.

England Test Squad for series against Pakistan

Joe Root (Yorkshire) Captain, James Anderson (Lancashire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Dominic Bess (Somerset), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Sam Curran (Surrey), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), Ben Stokes (Durham), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham).

Watch the first Test between England and Pakistan live on Sky Sports Cricket from 10.30am on Wednesday.