𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Ollie Pope insisted Ben Stokes can contribute fully as an all-rounder this weekend after the England captain dealt with a bout of cramp in his left leg against India on Friday.

Shortly after making his first fifty in 2025 on day three of the fourth Rothesay Test, Stokes looked increasingly discomforted and eventually headed back to the pavilion as he retired hurt on 66.

England revealed the issue was nothing more substantial than cramp and he resumed his innings just under an hour later, going to stumps 23 runs short of a first Test century since the 2023 Ashes.

Pope admitted Stokes’ significant workload might be catching up with him, with the 34-year-old having sent down 129 overs – the most he has ever bowled in a series with one-and-a-half Tests still to go.

“I think he’s OK,” Pope said. “It was just cramping down his leg and it managed to spread to his whole leg. Probably just a build-up of the amount he’s pushed his body over the last four or five weeks.

“He’s pushed himself to some serious limits so far and probably that was just a build-up of it but he’ll be good to go with bat and ball.”

Joe Root’s 150 and Pope’s 71 helped England close on 544 for seven and a significant lead of 186, and they are firm favourites to move into an unassailable 3-1 series lead over the next two days.

But there would have been bated breath at Emirates Old Trafford when Stokes was visibly struggling with the same leg where he had major surgery at the turn of the year.

Stokes has dispelled doubts about his fitness against India, sending down taxing nine and 10-over spells at Lord’s while he is the leading wicket-taker in the series with 16 at an average of 24.75.

England vice-captain Pope admitted he has a job trying to prise the ball from Stokes’ hands.

“Everyone knows what a competitor he is and the lengths he’s prepared to push his body to get the job in hand done,” Pope added.

“This has been a series so far where we’ve had to push and push to get the results in the two games we’ve won and he’s been a massive part with bat and especially ball.

“That’s something he’s willing to risk. As his vice-captain, I’m there to give him a nudge but he also gets this crazy look in his eye sometimes when you go over.

“Rooty plays a similar role but there’s times when you can’t take the ball off him. He gets his vision and that’s what makes him such a great cricketer. The way he does that drags the other bowlers along.”