Stokes Withdraws from Sri Lanka Test Series

England Test captain Ben Stokes has sustained a significant left hamstring injury while playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred, leading to his withdrawal from the remainder of the tournament and the upcoming Test series against Sri Lanka. Stokes, who was carried off the field and later seen on crutches, is set to undergo a scan to determine the full extent of the injury. His absence paves the way for vice-captain Ollie Pope to lead England in the Sri Lanka series starting August 21. Additionally, Chris Woakes has been withdrawn from The Hundred to manage his workload ahead of the Sri Lanka Tests, although England denies this is directly related to Stokes' injury. Zak Crawley is also ruled out due to a broken finger, with Dan Lawrence set to open the batting. The ECB has not named a replacement for Stokes, with several players, including Jordan Cox, being considered for the squad.