Good news for Team India! THESE England stars will miss The Oval Test

Trailing 1-2 in the five-Test series, and earning a hard-fought draw in the fourth Test in Machester, India got a shot in the arm going into the fifth and final match at The Oval, after England captain Ben Stokes and pace spearhead Joffra Archer were ruled out.

 

Pacer Brydon Carse, too, will miss the final Test, which begins on July 31.

 

England made three changes to their playing XI for the series-deciding match, with Ollie Pope set to lead the side in Stokes's absence, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a press release on Wednesday.

 

The English skipper, who has been in prime form with two back-to-back Player of the Match awards, will miss the match because of a right shoulder injury.

 

Archer, who made a comeback to Test cricket after four years, has been rested.

 

The hosts will sorely miss Stokes, not only for his all-round abilities – he has taken 17 wickets (top wicket-taker this series) and scored 304 runs so far in the series – but also for his leadership skills.

 

"England have included Jacob Bethell, who will bat at No.6. Surrey bowlers Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton come into the side, along with Nottinghamshire quick Josh Tongue," the ECB said.

 

India, too, have injury concerns of their own, with pace ace Jasprit Bumrah being rested in the final Test as part of workload management, with Akash Deep likely to replace him.

 

Wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant, too, will miss out because of a foot fracture he sustained in the fourth Test.

 

England playing XI:

Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope (c), Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jacob Bethell, Jamie Smith (wk), Chris Woakes, Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, Josh Tongue.

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