Cricket

England's Test tour of Pakistan, commencing on Monday, evokes memories of their remarkable 3-0 sweep in 2022. However, the tourists face a Pakistan team reeling from a humiliating defeat to Bangladesh. Here are some key talking points for England ahead of the series:Stokes Factor:Ben Stokes, England's talismanic captain, misses the first Test due to a hamstring injury. His absence alters the team's balance, as he could potentially replace a top-order batsman upon his return. However, England may opt for four specialist bowlers and rely on Joe Root's off-spin.Bazball Mark II:England's "Bazball" approach, characterized by aggressive batting, proved successful in their 2022 Pakistan tour. While they have since refined their style, Stuart Broad believes it will still be effective in Pakistan. England's batting lineup boasts exceptional spin-playing abilities, allowing them to maintain a high tempo.Inexperienced Attack:England's pace attack is undergoing a transition, with Chris Woakes as the senior figure. However, his overseas record is underwhelming, and Mark Wood is unavailable. Gus Atkinson, Matthew Potts, Olly Stone, and Brydon Carse have limited experience, while the spin attack is also inexperienced. Jack Leach returns after being overlooked during the English season, but Shoaib Bashir and Rehan Ahmed have limited Test exposure.Broad's Warning:Stuart Broad cautions that England's inexperience could prove costly. He emphasizes the importance of having experienced bowlers to prevent a rapid collapse in the event of a spinner's failure.

England's talismanic all-rounder Ben Stokes has pledged his long-term future to the national team by signing a new central contract that will extend until the 2025-26 Ashes tour. The exact duration of the contract remains undisclosed, but it is believed to be a two-year deal.Stokes' commitment is a significant boost for England, who have endured a frustrating period without his services due to injuries. The 33-year-old missed the recent Test series against Sri Lanka with a hamstring injury sustained in August. Despite the setback, Stokes is confident that he is ahead of schedule in his recovery and does not anticipate any long-term concerns.The ECB has yet to announce the latest batch of central contracts, but Stokes' new deal is expected to take him through until September 2026. This commitment is particularly notable given Stokes' lucrative contract to play in the SA20 in January, which highlights his value on the franchise circuit.However, England recognizes Stokes' immense importance to their Test team, not only as a player but also as a leader and figurehead for Brendon McCullum's regime. In Stokes' absence, England have opted for a five-bowler formula, with Chris Woakes batting at No. 7. Woakes has a chance to improve his away Test record, which currently stands at 36 wickets at 51.88.Beyond his batting and bowling, England will miss Stokes' captaincy in Multan. He was the mastermind behind their unexpected series sweep in Pakistan two years ago, where his bold declaration in Rawalpindi defied conventional wisdom. Ollie Pope, who will captain England in Stokes' absence, faces the challenge of matching Stokes' proactivity in changing the tempo of matches.Pope has experience keeping wicket in Test cricket and is one of six players in England's XI who played in the 2022 series in Pakistan. However, he lacks Stokes' ability to seize opportunities and influence the game through his field placements. Stokes will be on hand to provide advice, while James Anderson, who has experience of reverse swing in Multan, will join the squad on the second day.Pakistan's desire for surfaces that suit their seamers has piqued England's interest, and the Test strip in Multan has a significant grass covering. England will not take Pakistan lightly, especially with Shaheen Shah Afridi and Naseem Shah in their ranks.England's clean sweep in Pakistan in 2022 remains their best series result under Stokes and McCullum. With Stokes unavailable for at least the first Test, a repeat performance on this tour would be a remarkable achievement.

Ben Stokes' absence from England's first Test against Pakistan in Multan has opened the door for Chris Woakes and Brydon Carse to make their mark. Woakes, who hasn't played an overseas Test in two-and-a-half years, is expected to return to the side, while Carse is in line for a Test debut.Stokes, who sustained a torn hamstring two months ago, is still recovering and has ruled himself out of the first Test. He underwent a 45-minute training session on Saturday, including shuttle runs and batting practice, but is taking a cautious approach to his recovery.In Stokes' absence, Ollie Pope will continue to captain England, having led them to a 2-1 series win over Sri Lanka last month. England are likely to field two spinners in the first Test, with Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir expected to play. Gus Atkinson is also in contention after recovering from a thigh niggle.Carse is set to pip Matthew Potts to the final spot in England's seam attack. Both bowlers impressed in the recent ODI series against Australia, but England have opted for Carse's extra pace and superior batting. Olly Stone, who played two Tests against Sri Lanka, is also likely to miss out.Carse, who missed most of the summer due to a gambling ban, has impressed England's players in the nets with his pace and wicket-taking ability. "He's a natural wicket-taker," said Joe Root. "He's got those balls in him that, out of nowhere, on the flattest of wickets, you can make something happen… He offers a huge amount to the squad."England are expected to confirm their XI later on Saturday, two days out from the first Test.

Ben Stokes' participation in the first Test of England's tour to Pakistan remains uncertain, while Zak Crawley has declared himself fit to play. Stokes, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury, batted and bowled briefly in the nets on Friday but his inclusion in the team is not guaranteed.If Stokes is ruled out, Ollie Pope will continue as England's captain after leading them to a 2-1 win against Sri Lanka. Chris Woakes could also be in contention to play his first overseas Test in two-and-a-half years, providing balance to the side from No. 7.Crawley, who missed the Sri Lanka series with a broken finger, believes England have the depth to cope with Stokes' potential absence. "We've got a really deep squad, with plenty of options with the ball and with the bat as well," he said.England are expected to name their XI two days before the first Test, and Crawley suggested a late call would be made on Stokes' inclusion. "He seems to be going well, recovering well from his injury," he said. "We don't know just yet. I think he's got to do a few more tests, but he's been doing some running and stuff."Crawley himself has not played competitively since England's third Test against West Indies in July. He fractured his little finger while dropping a catch in the slips and his absence highlighted his importance to the side.England trained for the first time in Multan on Friday, the venue for the first two Tests of the series. Crawley said he felt "brand new" and ready to play, despite not fielding in the slips."The finger is all right," Crawley said. "It's as good as it could be at this stage. I've recovered well from it. It was a nasty break at the time, but I've recovered well and I don't feel it at all while I'm batting."Crawley set the tone for England's clean sweep on their most recent tour to Pakistan with an 86-ball hundred on the first day of the series in Rawalpindi. He believes he has become a more adaptable player since then."You've got to read the conditions," he said. "That's something I've thought about in the past couple of months, being more adaptable, playing the right shots, still being very aggressive - that's always going to be me - but just playing the right shots."

Overseas Players Face Stricter IPL Rules to Prevent WithdrawalsThe Indian Premier League (IPL) has implemented new regulations to discourage overseas players from withdrawing after being auctioned. These rules aim to ensure player availability and prevent disruptions for franchises.Mandatory Registration and AvailabilityOverseas players must now register for the mega auction. Failure to do so will make them ineligible for the subsequent mini-auction. Once registered and selected, players must remain available throughout the season.Penalties for WithdrawalsIf an overseas player withdraws before the season starts without a valid reason, such as a confirmed injury by their home board, they will face a two-season ban from the tournament and player auctions.Fitness Assessment and ReportingPlayers with a history of recurring injuries, like Ben Stokes, must undergo a fitness assessment by the National Cricket Academy (NCA) if they participate in the IPL mega auction and subsequently get injured. If they withdraw after the assessment, they must report to the BCCI's medical team or risk missing the next two seasons of IPL.Capped Fee for Mini-AuctionsTo further deter withdrawals, the IPL has capped the maximum fee for overseas players at mini-auctions. This fee will be the lowest of the highest retention price and the highest auction price from the mega auction.Impact on Overseas PlayersThese new rules require overseas players to carefully consider their availability and fitness before participating in the IPL. Failure to comply with the regulations could result in significant penalties that could impact their careers.

Ben Stokes, the talismanic England all-rounder, has expressed his willingness to return to the white-ball setup if requested by head coach Brendon McCullum. However, Stokes emphasized that no such discussions have taken place yet, as his immediate focus remains on regaining fitness for the upcoming Test tour of Pakistan.Stokes, 33, has been a pivotal figure in England's recent white-ball triumphs, playing match-winning innings in both the 2019 Cricket World Cup and the 2022 T20 World Cup. However, he has not featured in an ODI since November 2022 and withdrew from the T20 World Cup in June to prioritize his fitness.Despite his previous retirement from ODIs and unavailability for the T20 World Cup, Stokes is now open to a cross-format comeback. He believes that McCullum's coaching philosophy, which has transformed the Test team, could have a similar impact on the white-ball sides."If I get the call and [Baz] says, 'do you want to come and play?' Then obviously, it's definitely going to be a yes," Stokes said. "But I'm not going to be too disappointed if I don't, because I can just sit back and watch everyone else go out and smack it."Stokes acknowledged that the white-ball team is undergoing a transition, with the emergence of young players like Jacob Bethell. He believes that it is important to prioritize the development of the next generation, but he is also willing to contribute if needed."I've played a lot of white-ball cricket for England, and I'm very happy with what I've achieved in that form of the game," Stokes added. "But to be honest, we've not even spoken about anything like that whatsoever."Stokes' immediate focus is on leading the Test team on their tour of Pakistan, which begins on October 7. He is confident of being fit for the first Test in Multan, but he will be cautious about his bowling workload after a hamstring injury."I've got my six-and-a-half week scan tomorrow, so we'll know more from that, but I'm feeling really good," Stokes said. "There's a lot more than just my hamstrings that I need to get back firing again, in terms of bowling, because you use everything."England's experience from their successful tour of Pakistan in 2022 will be valuable, but Stokes acknowledges that the conditions could be different this time around."It's probably not until we get out there that we'll have a real understanding of it," he said. "I know that Shan Masood [Pakistan's captain] has been asking for quicker, more lively wickets for their fast bowlers. Obviously, last time we were there, they were slow, dry and spun a bit. So, we've got to go there with an open mind about what we're going to get."

England's Ben Stokes Returns for Pakistan Test TourEngland Test captain Ben Stokes will make his long-awaited return to the team for the upcoming tour of Pakistan in October. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the news on Tuesday, announcing a 17-member squad for the three-match series starting on October 7.Stokes, who missed the recent series against Sri Lanka due to a hamstring injury, is in the process of recovery and is expected to be fit for the Pakistan tour. Zak Crawley, who has been out since July with a fractured finger, is also set to return to the squad.The squad also includes spinner Rehan Ahmed, who made his Test debut in Pakistan last December, and Jack Leach, who last played in the opening Test in India in January. Josh Hull, who made his Test debut against Sri Lanka last week, is included along with uncapped players Brydon Carse and batter Jordan Cox.Eight players from the victorious 2022 squad, including Ahmed, Harry Brook, Crawley, Ben Duckett, Leach, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, and Stokes, are part of the team. The venues for the series are expected to be announced by the Pakistan Cricket Board later this week.England will be looking to build on their recent success in Pakistan, where they won the Test series 3-0 in December 2022. Stokes' return will provide a significant boost to the team, as he is one of the world's leading all-rounders.

Ben Stokes, England's Test captain, has expressed his disappointment with the "culture" of English sport, which he believes has led to excessive criticism of stand-in captain Ollie Pope. Pope has taken over the captaincy in Stokes' absence due to a hamstring injury and has led England to two comprehensive victories in the ongoing Sri Lanka series. However, his batting has suffered, leading to criticism from former England captain Michael Vaughan.Stokes defended Pope, stating that he has done "fantastically well" in leading the team and that his batting struggles are due to the added responsibility of captaincy. He also criticized the media for being too quick to criticize Pope, saying that it is "just English culture towards sport."Stokes has a history of defending his teammates and believes that athletes should support each other. He also spoke about his interest in business and his belief in the power of teamwork, which he sees as a key factor in his success on and off the field.

England's Test captain, Ben Stokes, has hailed the remarkable impact made by Gus Atkinson in his debut Test summer. Atkinson, a fast bowler, has taken 30 wickets and scored a maiden Test century at Lord's, earning him the Player of the Series award against West Indies.Stokes believes Atkinson's success is a testament to his talent and the team's belief in him. "I earmarked him as someone I thought could be successful at Test cricket on the India tour even though he didn't play a game," Stokes said. "I watched him train for basically two months, and he bowls at a high pace and is a very skillful bowler."Atkinson's batting ability has also impressed Stokes. "Seeing him bat before, I knew he had potential, and that 100 he got at Lord's, to say I wasn't surprised is a bit of an overstatement, but I have always known he has talent with the bat," Stokes said.Stokes believes Atkinson's success is a result of the team's encouragement to express himself. "If you see someone with a bit of talent, with the skillset and armoury he has as a player, and tell them to go out and express themselves and be who they want to be, it is amazing what results you can get from that," Stokes said.England are looking to complete a clean sweep of their Test matches this summer when they face Sri Lanka in the final match of their series starting at The Oval on Friday. Stokes, who is recuperating from a hamstring injury, believes the side has it in them to complete a winning clean sweep."It would be great to finish off the summer with another win and say we have won all six games we have had this summer," Stokes said. "A summer of Test cricket is hard, six games is a lot. We feel like we have been pretty compact and there hasn't been too much break between the games.""Winning six Test matches in one summer is no mean feat, so it would be great to finish off the summer in the last match against Sri Lanka with a win," Stokes concluded.