Ben Stokes will miss the third Test against Pakistan after injuring his calf during England’s victory at Old Trafford on Monday.
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“He added: “[Our top-order batting] is a worry because without scoring 300-plus runs its hard to apply pressure and you can’t really win games.
England head coach Trevor Bayliss has admitted that losing Ben Stokes to another injury would be a blow for his side ahead of their third Test against Pakistan. After the humbling suffered from the hands of Yasir Shah in the first Test, Cook, along with double centurion Joe Root, set a solid platform on Day 1.
It took only until the fifth over of Pakistan’s second innings on a cloudy morning for England’s all-time leading wicket-taker to yet again make short work of opener Shan Masood.
Between them, they plundered 75 runs in just nine overs on Monday before Cook called a halt.
“Joe’s was an extraordinary innings”, said Cook at the presentation ceremony”.
Root (254 and 71 not out) was the star of the show and was rightly adjudged Player of the Match.
For Pakistan captain Misbahul Haq, this was a chastening defeat.
Pakistan led the four-match series 1-0 after their 75-run win in the first Test at Lord’s.
But with Pakistan on the ropes, England then saw Stokes injured himself while bowling.
In his sixth over of the fourth innings in the match, Stokes pulled up after bowling the second delivery and went off the field, taking no further part in the match.
Alastair Cook’s hosts bowled Pakistan out for 234 to seal a 330-run win, even with only 5.2 overs from Stokes before he limped out of their attack.
Off-spinner Ali, completing the over, was then hit for six by Mohammad Hafeez.
Misbah was the top scorer for his side, scoring 52 and 35 in first and second innings respectively. It was the fifth-highest aggregate by any England’s batsman in a Test. “But this time the players were told not to take it easy at all as this was a tough series”, the former Zimbabwean batsman said.
England have become used to shuffling their order this summer and Stokes’ absence is likely to see Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Chris Woakes all move up a place.
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His previous misfortune opened up an opportunity for Chris Woakes, who has been a revelation with both bat and ball since that recall and will be a certain selection for both remaining Tests in a series level at 1-1.
