Reports: Ben Stokes uncertain for second Test against Pakistan in Multan

England Test skipper Ben Stokes remains uncertain for the second Test against Pakistan due to persistent hamstring issues. Stokes has been suffering from injuries for nearly two years. He confirmed his omission for the opening Test in Multan, and now there are reports about his availability for the second match as well. 

The all-rounder's knee problems, which resurfaced during The Hundred 2024 competition, have kept him away from action ever since. Despite rigorous rehabilitation efforts, Stokes admitted on Saturday that he had not fully recovered. 

"I tried my hardest to get myself fit for this first game but I've taken the call to miss this one. I've not quite managed to get game-ready. There is a lot that has to go into my rehab program. We got to a certain point, but looking at the bigger picture of what we've got coming up and physically where I'm at, I'm not quite ready to play," Stokes said, as quoted by Sky Sport.

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Pakistan have started first Test on a high

With six Tests remaining in the 2023-25 WTC cycle, England have to win all their remaining matches to keep their championship hopes alive, and that might be hard without Stokes's presence on the field.

Meanwhile, in the first Test Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first, putting early pressure on the tourists. The host team has made a solid start, with Abdullah Shafique and skipper Shan Masood building a strong partnership after an early setback. After 59 overs of play, Pakistan's score stands at 260/1 with Shafique and Masood batting on 102 and 150, respectively.