Stokes ‘hurting’ with how Pak series has unfolded, says McCullum

Rawalpindi: England head coach Brendon McCullum said captain Ben Stokes will be “hurting” after the 2-1 Test series defeat against Pakistan. Despite winning the opening match of the series, England failed to make big inroads in the last two games and faltered against the spin duo of Sajid Khan and Noman Ali in Multan and Rawalpindi to lose their second series under Stokes’ leadership. The all-rounder missed the first Test owing to a hamstring injury and only scored 53 runs in four innings and went wicketless in the 10 overs he bowled. “He’s disappointed but he’s our skipper and we know he’s tough. He’ll make sure he’ll come back. It’s our job to make sure we wrap our arms around him and help him along the way,” McCullum said. “He is disappointed, naturally. We all know how competitive and driven the skipper is. He’ll be hurting right now with how the series has unfolded. “That injury was quite significant. He had to put in a lot of graft and subconsciously maybe you’re not quite as screwed down as you can be in terms of decision-making. That’s natural,” he added. Stokes has faced an inconsistent couple of years with his fitness. Throughout much of 2023, his bowling was limited by a persistent left knee issue. He underwent surgery in November of that year and returned as a full all-rounder during the summer home series. However, he then injured his hamstring while playing in The Hundred in August. The 33-year-old missed four Tests, including the series opener in Pakistan, which England won. He returned for the second match – a loss on a reused pitch in Multan – and particularly struggled in the final Test in Rawalpindi. Stokes managed just 15 runs across two innings and didn’t bowl. On the second afternoon, his typically proactive captaincy seemed unusually passive as Saud Shakeel scored a century, putting Pakistan in control. In England’s second innings, Stokes was strangely dismissed lbw to a delivery from spinner Noman Ali after not offering a shot. England were ultimately bowled out for 112, their lowest total in Pakistan, setting up a nine-wicket victory for the hosts. England face a quick turnaround to their next tour: a three-Test series in New Zealand starting at the end of November. The squad is expected to be announced soon, with few changes anticipated. Leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed may be replaced, possibly by an additional batter or wicketkeeper, to cover Jamie Smith, who could miss part or all of the tour due to the birth of his first child. The first Test will be held in Christchurch, where Stokes was born before moving to the UK at age 12. “He’ll be better for the run, no doubt. It will be a couple of weeks off, freshen up and back to conditions which are a bit more similar to England. It’s another opportunity for us,” said McCullum. –IANS