ICC World Cup 2023: Ben Stokes likely to miss second match against Bangladesh

• Ben Stokes is unlikely to play in England’s second World Cup match.
• Jos Buttler says that Stokes is “progressing well”.
• Harry Brook is likely to continue at No. 4 in Stokes’ absence.

It’s highly unlikely that Ben Stokes will participate in England’s second World Cup match against Bangladesh in Dharamsala on Tuesday due to a persistent sore left hip.

Stokes, who came out of ODI retirement to play as a specialist batter despite his chronic left knee injury, missed their previous heavy defeat to New Zealand in Ahmedabad. He hasn’t played competitively since scoring 182, England’s highest ODI score, against New Zealand almost a month ago.

Although Stokes has practiced in the nets twice in Dharamsala, showing improved mobility while facing spinners on Monday morning, his participation in Tuesday’s game is uncertain.

There’s a possibility that he might target England’s match against Afghanistan in Delhi on Sunday for his potential comeback.

Jos Buttler, England’s captain, told the British media that Stokes was “progressing well… he is doing more and more each day and seems to be improving, so it is good signs.” But he clarified at his pre-match press conference: “It’s good to see him back in the nets and building back towards full fitness, but he’s probably unlikely for tomorrow.”

Stokes had initially planned to spend these two months resting his knee but confirmed in August that he had changed his mind. “The words ‘World Cup’ are pretty inspiring,” he said. “The idea of going in and potentially being able to win back-to-back World Cups was one of the big things.”

In the absence of Stokes, Harry Brook stepped in at No. 4 against New Zealand. He scored 25 off 15 balls before being caught at deep midwicket while attempting to hit Rachin Ravindra for a fourth successive boundary. It’s likely that he will continue in the same position on Tuesday and will face a challenge from Bangladesh’s spinners.

The upcoming match on Tuesday will be played on a fresh pitch, located two strips away from the unusually slow surface where Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan on Saturday. England is considering adding an extra seamer to their lineup, with Reece Topley being the most probable choice, possibly at the expense of Moeen Ali.

“It’s definitely an option,” Buttler said, when asked about the possibility of picking an extra seamer. “I played here in the IPL just gone, and there can be some good pace and bounce in the wicket. So certainly, we’ll have those discussions and we’ve got fantastic options within the squad to pick different line-ups with a different balance. It’s something we’ll consider.”

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