England’s Test captain Ben Stokes left the field on Day 4 after just 15 minutes as he experienced discomfort in right adductor. Stokes returned to the dressing room during 127th over of Australia's first innings.
"Ben Stokes is currently being assessed for a right adductor complaint," said an England Cricket Board (ECB) spokesperson. "We will provide an update when more information is available."
Vice-captain Harry Brook took over the captaincy duties for the rest of Australia’s first innings as they posted 567 on the board, taking a sizeable 183-run lead.
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Stokes and his bouts with injuries
Stokes has had as many as four bouts with injuries in last year and a half. He suffered a right hamstring tear in home series against Sri Lanka in 2024. He got injured in that year's The Hundred. Then, he got injured in the last Test on New Zealand tour. The all-rounder returned to action against India in Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 but missed the last Test due to a shoulder injury.
Will Stokes bat in England’s 2nd innings?
Stokes is highly likely to bat as England need to post a big total on the board to post a fighting target for the hosts. However, he may bat further down the order.
Will Stokes bowl in Sydney Test?
Considering the character Ben Stokes is, he may ignore the advice of medical personnel and teammates to not bowl for the rest of the fifth Test. England are playing with three specialist pacers plus Stokes. Losing the skipper's services with the ball will be a big blow for the visitors.
Spin may play a role in the last two days of the final Test of Ashes 2025-26. England have two spin options in Will Jacks and Jacob Bethell. In the first innings, Jacks bowled 8.5 overs and got the wicket of tailender Scott Boland. Left-arm spinner Bethell bowled 15.2 overs and got the prized wicket of Travis Head.