SA vs ENG | Ben Stokes in the playing eleven, Ollie Pope might miss out on the Boxing Day Test
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England camp have some good news as Ben Stokes is back with the squad after visiting his father who was severely ill but England might miss the services of Ollie Pope who joins the long list of players suffering from sickness. Jonny Bairstow is likely to replace Pope if required for the first Test.
Ben Stokes is expected to be back with the squad and back into the playing eleven after his father Ged Stokes was hospitalized in Johannesburg with him suffering from illness, However, with Stokes' return, England might add another player in their sickness list by the name Ollie Pope who has been suffering illness because of a bug that has troubled him throughout the tour. Pope's absence would mean a return for Jonny Bairstow, who missed out on the tour to New Zealand earlier in the year.Â
All-rounder Chris Woakes is also on standby with illness while Jack Leach has spent the final few days in New Zealand in the hospital fighting with Crohn's disease. The temperatures in Centurion are set to rise very high and thus although none of the three mentioned above are completely ruled out of selection, it is highly possible that the team management will not risk these players playing in such a furnace.Â
England are thereby facing a lot of selection headaches ahead of their Boxing Day Test against South Africa but with adequate backup, they must be just fine as far as the playing eleven is concerned. The team will be wearing a black band in remembrance of legendary English cricketer Bob Willis who recently passed away.
