Ollie Pope said it was his role as vice-captain to ensure Ben Stokes “doesn’t push himself to a ridiculous place” as the captain battles a groin injury that forced him to seek treatment towards the end of the first day of the third Test against India.
After receiving attention from the physio with just under an hour to play, the captain’s movement was noticeably impaired for the remainder of the final session, but he played on as England reached stumps on 251 for four. There are no plans to send him for scans, the hope being that he will recover overnight and, alongside Joe Root – who is unbeaten on 99 – “really kick on and make it a score north of 400, towards 500”.
