Ben Stokes is in a race to be fit for the final Test against New Zealand after feeling unwell and missing training two days out.
Stokes was due to join up with the squad and train at Headingley but has been suffering with a chesty cough over the past couple of days and decided to give the session a swerve. The skipper returned a negative lateral flow test on Tuesday morning to rule out Covid at this stage, although without taking the more sensitive PCR test England medics will be monitoring his symptoms to see if they persist or develop ahead of the match.
After Kane Williamson was ruled out of the 2nd Test with Covid, Stokes joked about how to avoid a positive result - by not testing. It was said in jest, but six members of the Blackcaps touring party have gone down with Covid during the tour so far, and with the latest variant spiking around the country it is entirely reasonable to expect it to hit the England dressing room at some point.
