Important for Ollie Pope to see what a team looks like without Ben Stokes: Stuart Broad

Ben Stokes. (Source – The Hundred)

England’s Test captain, Ben Stokes was injured during The Hundred 2024 as he tore his hamstring. The injury meant the star all-rounder would miss the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka.  After he was ruled out of the remainder of the summer season, former England pacer, Stuart Broad has urged the team to take positives out of the shortcoming ahead of the Sri Lanka series.

Stokes, who plays for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, got injured in the game against Manchester Originals on August 11. He opened the batting for the Superchargers chasing 153 runs and had to return after hamstring issues persisted. He was carried out of the field and ECB announced his unavailability for the rest of the summer. Speaking of the same, Broad quipped that it is shameful for a Test team to lose a player like Stokes.

“It’s a real shame for the Test-match team because he looked so fit. He’s worked so hard on his fitness. But to use that old sporting saying of ‘take the positives’, it actually gives England the chance to play against Sri Lanka with a make-up of team without Ben Stokes, that they are going to have to trial at some stage,” Broad was quoted as saying by India Today.

“Stokesy hasn’t been able to bowl for a year-and-a-half but has been playing as a batter. What happens the night before Brisbane in 18 months’ time if Stokesy’s not very well? It’s important for (replacement captain) Ollie Pope to get some experience and see what a team looks like without Ben Stokes – not that any of us would want that particularly, but you’ve got to find the positives in that and Stokesy will still be around,” he added.

Also Read: Ben Stokes ruled out of summer with hamstring tear, Ollie Pope to lead in Sri Lanka Tests

Stokes will hope for speedy recovery before Pakistan series

The upcoming series against Sri Lanka is crucial for the Three Lions before touring Pakistan for the Test series. Amidst the packed white ball schedule, the English will be eying to make the World Test Championship 2025 trophy their own, given they were pioneers of officiating the fearless approach in Test cricket. With Ben Stokes injured, Stuart Broad revealed that the all-rounder jokingly vowed to support the team as a coach during the Sri Lanka series.

Also Read: Sri Lanka rope in Ian Bell as batting coach for England tour

“He’s already texted me saying he’s going to be the coach so I don’t know what Baz (Brendon McCullum) is going to be doing,” Broad concluded.