The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has confirmed that Chris Woakes will no longer participate in The Hundred men's competition due to an injury to Ben Stokes, who is the Test captain. This decision comes as England gears up for a three-match Test series against Sri Lanka starting on August 21.
Woakes, who has been a key bowling all-rounder for England and was representing Birmingham Phoenix in The Hundred, will miss the remainder of the season. His absence affects the team, especially with his scheduled participation in the last two group-stage matches against Trent Rockets and Manchester Originals, both of which are crucial for the team's campaign.
Ben Stokes sustained a left hamstring injury while playing for Northern Superchargers on August 11. The injury occurred as he sprinted for a run, causing immediate pain that forced him to leave the field. Post-match, Stokes was seen using crutches, which raised doubts about his participation in the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka.
Moreover, England's situation is compounded by the news that opening batter Zak Crawley has been ruled out of the squad due to a fractured finger. If Stokes is unable to play, Ollie Pope is expected to step in as captain.
The first Test of the series will be held in Manchester from August 21 to 25. The England squad for the Tests currently includes Ben Stokes (c), Ben Duckett, Dan Lawrence, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jordan Cox, Jamie Smith, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood, Gus Atkinson, Shoaib Bashir, Matthew Potts, and Olly Stone. The Sri Lankan side, captained by Dhananjaya de Silva, features a talented roster, including experienced players like Angelo Mathews and Kusal Mendis.