England Faces Major Blow Before Home Test Series vs India!! Ben Stokes In High Risk

In the latest development, the reports have claimed that England will be without their captain, Ben Stokes, and star pace all-rounder, Brydon Carse, for the upcoming five-match Test series against India at home. The premier all-rounder has not played at any level since tearing his left hamstring in December.

Stokes decided to skip the SA20 for the MI Cape Towns and has not played at any level since tearing his left hamstring in December. He is progressing well in his recovery, just before the busy year that includes a one-off Test match against Zimbabwe in May to start the summer, before five red-ball clashes against India in June.

Ben Stokes to miss home England Test series vs India

England’s main focus this year is the away Ashes against Australia towards the end of the year. The reports have revealed that the board wants to keep the all-rounder fully prepared for the winter, and that could mean missing the India series.

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The left-handed batter doesn’t have a great record against the Indian side with just 972 runs in 40 Test innings at an average of nearly 25 and a strike rate of 46.71. He celebrated five half-centuries and one century at the best score of 128 runs.

In his absence, it will also be hard for the national side to balance the squad. Along with Stokes, Brydon Carse is also expected to be out of the series. The right-arm pacer has picked up 27 wickets in five red-ball games at an average of nearly 20 and a strike rate of 34.70, shouldering on two four-wicket and one five-wicket haul.

The series will also be important for England if they want to start well in the fourth edition of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2025-27.

Durham head coach rules Ben Stokes out of England vs India series

Durham’s head coach, Ryan Campbell, offered an update on Stokes’ rehabilitation, stating that while the England veteran is recovering well from the hamstring surgery, there is no risk of them deciding on Stokes’ return for the domestic side.

They will play six County Championship games before the Zimbabwe series, which begins on May 22. But Campbell does not expect the England captain to play in any of those games.

“I expect that it will be zero (early-season matches) — anything else is a bonus. They're coming back from serious injuries. The facts are they need to get up and running by the time the Test matches start.” Campbell expressed as quoted by ICC’s official website.

“He's here nearly every single day working his butt off. The guy had hamstring surgery and was in the next day lifting weights, which I could not believe. He's such a hard-working bloke. He'll do whatever it takes to be up and running for England.” Campbell praised Stokes.

For Crase, it’s the foot injury that is making him struggle and forcing him to be out of their squad for the recent Champions Trophy 2025 in Pakistan and Dubai.

India to start WTC 2025-27 campaign against England

It’s the very first time in three editions of the WTC that the blue brigade won’t be playing in the final of the competition.

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They will start the 2025-27 season on June 20 for the opening game at Leeds in Headingley before the action moves to Edgbaston in Birmingham. The third fixture will be at Lord’s, followed by Manchester and the Oval.

There is, however, no guarantee that the Indian Test captain Rohit Sharma will feature in the five-match series.