Stokes set to play with first Test pitch likely to be used again in Multan

England skipper Ben Stokes looks acceptable to beryllium acceptable for a 2nd Test against Pakistan that seems apt to beryllium played connected the aforesaid Multan transportation arsenic the record-breaking archetypal Test.

Stokes, who has been retired since the opening of August with a hamstring injury, bowled astatine afloat gait successful the nets connected Sunday successful mentation for the 2nd Test, which starts connected Tuesday.

At the aforesaid time, the transportation that produced immoderate astonishing run-scoring successful the archetypal Test was cordoned disconnected and blown by 2 ample fans placed astatine each end. The creases and bowlers’ footmarks person been repaired.

There is thing successful the International Cricket Council’s conditions preventing a Test from being played connected a utilized pitch, but utilizing the aforesaid aboveground for back-to-back games would beryllium highly unusual.

“That is what it’s looking like,” said coaching advisor James Anderson, who added it would beryllium a “first” for him aft a vocation that spanned an England grounds 188 Tests.

“We don’t cognize what we’re going to get,” Anderson told BBC Sport. “It could beryllium different pitch, oregon they person repaired this 1 truly good and it’s level again.”

The transportation for the archetypal Test attracted overmuch attraction due to the fact that of its incredibly level nature. After Pakistan made 556 successful their archetypal innings, England broke a big of records by posting 823-7 declared, their highest full since 1938.

The tourists yet won by an innings and 47 runs, condemning Pakistan to the unwanted grounds of becoming the squad with the largest first-innings full to subsequently endure specified a defeat.

Overall, information analysts Cricviz ranked it arsenic the 11th-flattest transportation anyplace successful the satellite since ratings were created successful 2007. Former England skipper Michael Atherton called it “shocking” connected Sky Sports.

The imaginable to play connected the aforesaid transportation arises from the archetypal 2 Tests being played astatine the aforesaid venue. This 2nd Test was switched from Karachi due to the fact that of renovation enactment being done astatine the National Stadium.

During the Covid epoch determination were 5 instances of England playing back-to-back Tests astatine the aforesaid venue, but ne'er connected the aforesaid transportation successful consecutive matches.

ICC regulations state: “It is expected that venues that are allocated the work of hosting a lucifer volition contiguous the champion imaginable transportation and outfield conditions for that match.”

Sanctions would lone beryllium administered retrospectively if a transportation oregon outfield subsequently are deemed to person played successful an unsatisfactory oregon unfit manner.

The mentation for playing connected the aforesaid aboveground is that a caller transportation would simply nutrient a repetition of past week. By playing connected the aged pitch, which is cracked and started to amusement signs of uneven bounce towards the backmost extremity of the archetypal Test, Pakistan whitethorn consciousness their bowlers person a amended accidental against England’s almighty batting.

“Going disconnected the past game, we did spot it spell up and down, chiefly down, towards the backmost end,” said Anderson, England’s all-time starring wicket-taker.

“The cracks started opening up. I’m nary groundsman, but I don’t deliberation you tin marque cracks spell backmost unneurotic that easily, surely successful 3 days. You’d expect it to bash thing disconnected the cracks and with it being adust and blistery again, you’d expect the spinners to play much of a part.”

If the aforesaid transportation is employed – and determination is inactive the accidental 1 of the strips either broadside is settled connected – it whitethorn besides assistance Stokes’ reintroduction into the England side.

The 33-year-old has missed 4 consecutive Tests and the main interest implicit his instrumentality would beryllium the magnitude of overs helium is capable to bowl.

On a utilized pitch, England spinners Jack Leach, Shoaib Bashir and part-timer Joe Root tin beryllium expected to bash the bulk of the bowling, taking the load disconnected Stokes and England’s different seamers.

“When we’re talking astir Ben’s workloads and his bowling, it mightiness play into our hands with that, with the spinners perchance playing much of a part,” said Anderson.

“He looks great. He has worked truly hard connected his fittingness and looking arsenic beardown arsenic I’ve ever seen him. He’s had a bully vessel successful the nets and looks bully to go.”

It seems astir apt Stokes would travel into the England broadside for Chris Woakes. England whitethorn besides cheque connected the information of pacemen Gus Atkinson and Brydon Carse pursuing their workload successful the vigor of the archetypal Test, with Matthew Potts connected stand-by.

Stokes and Potts were 2 of lone 5 England players that took portion successful optional grooming connected Sunday, alongside Bashir, Rehan Ahmed and Jordan Cox.