"Ben Stokes Ruled Out of Final Test Against India Due to Injury"

Ben Stokes, the captain of the England cricket team, has been sidelined for the fifth and concluding Test against India due to a right shoulder injury. In his absence, Ollie Pope has been named the new captain for what promises to be an exciting finish to the series at The Oval in London. The match begins on Thursday night (AEST) with India needing a victory to equalize, trailing the series 2-1.

Stokes shared that he might be out for as long as seven weeks but doesn't believe this will affect his ability to play in the Ashes, which is set to take place in Australia this summer. Following the drawn fourth Test, Stokes had expressed confidence about participating in the series finale but later deemed the risk too great to continue playing. He emphasized the importance of considering the potential consequences of further injury.

During the recent drawn match, Stokes earned the player of the match title, achieving significant performance with six wickets and scoring his long-overdue 14th Test century. Despite addressing his players with the mentality that "pain is just an emotion," the physical demands of bowling were evident, especially since this series marked his return from a torn hamstring and as he dealt with a biceps issue along with the shoulder pain.

England's squad is also making changes, with seamers Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse resting, and spinner Liam Dawson excluded from the team, resulting in four modifications overall. New faces Gus Atkinson, Jamie Overton, and Josh Tongue will support pace bowler Chris Woakes in what is considered a less experienced attack.

The previous Test concluded under heightened tensions, as Stokes believed that Shubman Gill should have accepted a draw offer while the game was heading towards a stalemate. However, Gill opted to wait to see Jadeja and Sundar, whose resilient partnership was key in securing a draw. In the run-up to the final Test, there was an incident between India's head coach Gautam Gambhir and the groundskeeper Lee Fortis regarding the pitch situation.