Stokes to miss Pakistan Tests for family reasons

England star Ben Stokes will miss the final two Tests against Pakistan and return to New Zealand for family reasons.

The allrounder, whose parents still live in the nation of his birth, will depart later this week, meaning he will miss the second and third Tests in Southampton.

It's not yet clear when Stokes will be able to return to the England side for the remainder of the summer. New Zealand, which yesterday marked 100 days since they last reported a new case of COVID-19, currently require all international arrivals to quarantine for two weeks before they are allowed into the community.

Following the Tests against Pakistan, England will play a three-match T20 series against them from August 28 to September 1 before a proposed white-ball tour by Australia is expected in early September.

Stokes is then expected to play in the Indian Premier League, which will start in the UAE on September 19.

Stokes' father, Ged, was hospitalised early on England's tour of South Africa last summer and it was only at the end of the campaign that he was deemed healthy enough to return home to New Zealand and recuperate.

While Stokes was able to visit his father in hospital at times during that South African tour, the distance between England and New Zealand as well as the travel and health restrictions caused by the pandemic mean that's not possible in this instance.

Strict travel regulations around the world, including periods of quarantine, and the fact the Tests are being played in a bio-secure 'hub' means players are unable to quickly leave the country and then return to play, as Stokes may have been able to do in normal circumstances.

Stokes wasn't the only England player dealing with an off-field issue during the first Test; following the match, it emerged that match-winner Jos Buttler had learned that his father had been hospitalised during the game, and the COVID-19 restrictions meant he was unable to leave the bio-secure bubble to visit him.

"It says a huge amount about him as a person to carry that and be able to either use it, or park it – only he will know which way he did that – and to play in that manner was exceptional," skipper Joe Root said of Buttler.

"To have that external pressure as well, I'm chuffed to bits with him."

Stokes will no doubt be sorely missed by England, who will need to cover both his dynamic batting and seam bowling. The 29-year-old had seemingly returned to full fitness after his bowling workloads were restricted by a recent thigh injury.

However, the batting heroics of Buttler and Chris Woakes in England’s tense three-wicket victory in the first Test, after they were both promoted one place each to No.6 and No.7 in the order respectively, means England shouldn’t have to tinker too much with the balance of the side.

Right-hander Zak Crawley is the man most likely to come into the middle order after he missed the past two Tests when England opted for an extra bowling option.

The home side have also called up uncapped paceman Ollie Robinson, with the focus on England's seamers due to a compressed schedule that includes six Tests in seven weeks.

England will also need a new vice-captain to replace Stokes; Buttler was deputy for the opening Test of the summer when Stokes was promoted to captain due to the absence of regular skipper Root.

The second Test starts on Thursday.

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