England Vs Pakistan: Ben Stokes Back From Injury, Will Play Multan Test

Ben Stokes has been included in England's squad for the second Test against Pakistan, which begins on Tuesday in Multan. Stokes, who had been sidelined due to a hamstring injury, missed the recent series against Sri Lanka and the first Test week. England emerged victorious in that match by an inning.

Matthew Potts, a seamer from Durham, is also making a return to the team after his last appearance at Lord's against Sri Lanka in August. Meanwhile, seamers Gus Atkinson and Chris Woakes have been given a rest for this match.

Stokes' Return and Role

Stokes expressed his readiness to contribute as a third seamer. "Look, it's obviously got to be sensible," he stated on Monday after being declared fit. He mentioned that he has been bowling in the nets since before the first Test and is prepared to make an impact when needed.

The 33-year-old captain considered playing solely as a batsman but found it unfeasible. "Those were the sort of thoughts that went through my head at home before we came out," he explained. "I'd written a few teams down with me not bowling, and it just didn't work."

England's Recent Performance

In Stokes' absence, Ollie Pope led England to victory in the first Test in Multan. The team secured an innings win by 47 runs on Friday. Harry Brook scored an impressive 317, while Joe Root contributed 262 runs to their triumph.

This victory marked a historic moment as Pakistan became the first team in Test cricket's 147-year history to lose by an innings despite scoring over 550 runs in their initial innings.

England's Line-up for Second Test

The England XI for the second Test includes Ben Stokes (captain), Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jamie Smith, Brydon Carse, Matthew Potts, Jack Leach, and Shoaib Bashir.

The upcoming match promises excitement as both teams prepare for another intense encounter on the field.