England captain Ben Stokes has no issues with Pakistan leveraging home advantage for the second Test, even after the hosts loaded their team with spinners on a reused pitch in Multan. Stokes, who missed England’s impressive innings win in the first match while recovering from a hamstring injury, will return to lead the side on Tuesday on the same pitch.
Pakistan’s decision to reuse a pitch that saw over 350 overs recently is unusual but within the rules. The aim is to create conditions that favor spin, hoping the worn surface will offer more turn and help their revamped bowling attack, which now includes three specialist spinners and two part-time options.
England, however, have opted against including an extra spinner, choosing instead to replace Chris Woakes and Gus Atkinson with Stokes and Matthew Potts, completing an all-Durham pace trio alongside Brydon Carse.
“It’s the first time I’ve played on a used wicket in a Test series, and maybe it’s a tactic,” said Stokes. “But if we were 1-0 down at home, we’d probably ask for similar home advantage ourselves. A used pitch could bring more into play for both sides—whether it spins more or reverses more, it adds options.”
Despite the odd situation, Stokes is happy to return to the team after a nine-week injury layoff, during which he missed four Tests. He noted that he wasn’t willing to compromise the team’s balance by playing solely as a batter and will resume his role as an all-rounder.
While Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir are expected to carry most of the bowling load, Stokes, after a successful fitness test, is confident he can bowl as England’s third seamer when needed.
Stokes also acknowledged the strong tradition of pace bowlers coming from his home county, Durham, mentioning the club’s legacy of producing fast bowlers like Steve Harmison and Mark Wood, and sharing a proud moment with the current trio of Stokes, Carse, and Potts.
“I’m not trying to bring the whole Durham team in,” he joked, “but it’s a proud moment for the club.”
Leave a Reply