England's captain Ben Stokes has been officially ruled out of the first Test against Pakistan in Multan, which is set to begin on Monday. His participation in the second Test remains uncertain as he continues to recover from a hamstring tear. Although Stokes' recovery is progressing faster than expected, he has not yet reached full fitness. “I did everything I could to be ready for this first match, but I’ve made the decision to sit this one out,” Stokes stated. “I’m not quite at the level needed to compete. I have about ten days to prepare for the second Test. Considering the bigger picture and my current physical condition during rehab, I’m just not ready to play yet.” In Stokes' absence, Ollie Pope will continue to serve as captain for the team.

Ben Stokes is facing a race against time to be fit for the first Test against Pakistan, which begins in Multan on Monday. Meanwhile, Zak Crawley has expressed his excitement about returning to the team after recovering from a broken finger that sidelined him for the latter part of England's Test summer. Crawley stated that he is now fully fit and “back with a new hunger” for the game. While Crawley is ready to take his place as an opener, the situation regarding Stokes remains uncertain. He has only participated briefly in the team's initial training session in Pakistan, raising questions about his readiness. Crawley noted that Stokes “seems to be going well, recovering well,” but added that it is still unclear if the captain will be able to play in the opening match. He mentioned that Stokes needs to undergo a few more tests to determine his fitness. The last official update from the England and Wales Cricket Board regarding Stokes' injury was released 10 days ago, indicating that he was “on track to participate in the upcoming Test series against Pakistan.” As the team prepares for the match, all eyes will be on Stokes' recovery progress.