England captain Ben Stokes out of India series decider: ECB

Dubai: The fifth and final Test between England and India has lost two of its biggest stars, with both England captain Ben Stokes and India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah ruled out on the eve of the series decider at The Oval.

The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed on Wednesday that Stokes would miss the final Test with a shoulder injury sustained during the drawn fourth Test at Old Trafford. Vice-captain Ollie Pope will lead the side for the first time in his Test career, with England holding a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.

England have made four changes after a gruelling drawn fourth Test at Old Trafford, with Jacob Bethell, Josh Tongue and the Surrey pair of Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton all coming into the side.

Fast bowlers Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse have both been rested. Spin-bowling all-rounder Bethell makes his first Test appearance of the year, effectively as a replacement for Stokes.

Liam Dawson's return to Test cricket lasted just one match, with England going into the India finale without a specialist spinner.

Disappointed to miss finale

Stokes has struggled with various fitness issues during a series in which he has sent down 140 overs - the most he has bowled in any series.

He is the leading wicket-taker on either side with 17 scalps.

"I am obviously disappointed to not be able to finish the series," an emotional Stokes told a pre-match press conference on Wednesday.

The 34-year-old, whose career has been blighted by hamstring trouble, added: "I have got a decent tear of one of the (shoulder) muscles I can't pronounce, I don't know how to say it, but we took as long as we could to make that decision around that.

Medical team's advice

"A bit of emotion goes into this kind of stuff when you find out what you have done - bowling was ruled out as soon as we got the scan results.

"But you need that time chatting with the medical team, Baz (England coach Brendon McCullum), then just 20 minutes to myself out there in the morning just to really be clear around the decision that we made."

He had earlier brushed off fitness concerns by famously declaring “pain is just an emotion” and vowing to “run through a brick wall” for the team. However, his right shoulder injury — coupled with a high workload of 140 overs bowled in the series — has forced England to act with caution.

India, meanwhile, will also be without their bowling spearhead. Jasprit Bumrah has been rested as a precaution to avoid a recurrence of his back injury, which had previously sidelined him for several months. According to ESPNcricinfo, the BCCI medical team, in consultation with Bumrah and the team management, advised against risking him in the final Test, despite the opportunity to level the series 2-2.

Bumrah has been India’s most effective pacer in the series, taking 14 wickets in three matches. His absence is a significant blow to India’s hopes of squaring the series.

With two of the game’s most combative players ruled out, the final chapter of a hard-fought series will now see fresh leadership and bowling combinations tested under pressure.