Chris Woakes Ruled Out Of Australia And India Series; Ben Stokes To Miss Australian Matches

In a major blow to the home side, the England Cricket Board (ECB) on Monday announced that all-rounder Ben Stokes and pacer Chris Woakes will miss the rest of the One-Day International (ODI) series against Australia. Stokes has been recovering from a torn left hamstring injury since the last two weeks, which he sustained during the Pakistan Test and is expected to be available for the Twenty20 International (T20Is) against India in July while team-mate Woakes, who suffered a right quad tear will be unavailable for the India series. England lead the five game series with Australia 2-0 with three ODI matches and one-off T20I remaining.

"He can bat fully and is now able to run at 90 percent capacity," read a statement from the ECB about Stokes. "He will commence his return to bowling programme this week.

"The plan is for Ben to continue his rehabilitation programme with the England squad during the 4th and 5th ODIs (against Australia on Thursday and Sunday) at Riverside and Old Trafford."

Woakes, 29, injured a thigh muscle during the second Test with Pakistan at the beginning of June which the ECB say "was at least in part due to a flare-up of a chronic right knee problem". Aside from missing the ODI series with Australia he'll also miss the lone Twenty20 international against Australia at Edgbaston, on June 27 and the three T20s at home to India in July.

"He (Woakes) has had an injection for the knee issue last Monday and will now undertake a rehabilitation and conditioning programme to address both injuries," read the ECB statement.

"A date for return cannot be specified at this stage, but he will not be available before the India ODI series."

The three-match one-day series against India starts at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on July 12.

(With AFP inputs)

Topics mentioned in this article

England Cricket Team Australia Cricket Team Ben Stokes Chris Woakes Cricket