Injury rules Stokes out of fifth Test against India

Stokes, whose deputy Ollie Pope will lead the team in his absence, has been battling a variety of fitness issues over the course of the series and has finally been laid low with a problem that reared its head during last week's draw at Old Trafford. 

"I am obviously disappointing to not be able to finish the series," an emotional Stokes said as he addressed a press conference on Wednesday morning.

"I have got a decent tear of one of the muscles I can't pronounce, I don't know how to say it, but we took as long as we could to make that decision around that.

"A bit of emotion goes into this kind of stuff when you find out what you have done - bowling was ruled out as soon as we got the scan results."

Stokes said the risk of causing further damage to too high had he played.

"I wouldn't expect to put any one of my players at risk with an injury like this," he said.

"I will start rehabbing now and obviously focus on what we have got coming up in the winter."

The captain be replaced by Jacob Bethell, making his first Test appearance of the year in one of four changes to the England XI. 

The road back starts here 👊 pic.twitter.com/MH6xObtj7c— England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 30, 2025

Liam Dawson has been dropped one match into his comeback, with England opting to go without a front-line spinner, while pace pair Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse are rested. 

Three fresh quicks come into the side, with Surrey pair Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton returning on home soil and Josh Tongue completing the line-up. 

England do not play Test cricket again until the Ashes, meaning the 34-year-old could face a tight recovery period to be fit for the hotly-anticipated series.

England lead India 2-1 in the series with the fifth Test to start at The Oval on Thursday.

England: �Zak Crawley, �Ben Duckett, �Ollie Pope (C), �Joe Root, �Harry Brook, �Jacob Bethell, �Jamie Smith (wk), �Chris Woakes, �Gus Atkinson, �Jamie Overton, �Josh Tongue

with PA