England are in talks to postpone first Test in Pakistan in 17 years by a day, with more than a dozen of touring party, including captain Ben Stokes, hit by sickness bug – with symptoms including headaches, fever and DIARRHOEA
- England are due to start their first Test match against Pakistan on Thursday
- It is the first time England will have played a Test in Pakistan since 2005
- At least a dozen of the touring party have been laid low by a virus
- England named their team on Tuesday, and it is unknown whether selection will now be affected by the virus
Discussions were underway today about postponing the historic first Test in Rawalpindi by 24 hours after a bug swept through England’s touring party, laying low more than a dozen players and backroom staff, including captain Ben Stokes.
Officials remain hopeful that England’s first Test series in Pakistan for 17 years can begin as scheduled at 10am tomorrow, though it is understood the tourists would not have been in a position to raise a side had the game started today.
The hope is that the bug will pass through the squad quickly.
Liam Livingstone is due to make his Test debut for England against Pakistan on Thursday
But if the players – six or seven of whom have been struck down – have not recovered by tomorrow morning, the match could begin on Friday instead. Both a five-day and a four-day game were being considered.
England have employed their own chef for this trip, though the bug is not thought to be connected to food.
A team spokesman also confirmed the symptoms – which have included headaches, fever and diarrhoea – were not Covid-related.
With spinner Jack Leach, who suffers from Crohn’s disease, among those infected, team medics are taking no chances, advising players to rest up at the hotel, a few miles from the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in the Pakistani capital Islamabad.
Nets were optional today, and attended by only five batters: Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope, Joe Root and Keaton Jennings, the only one of the group not chosen for the first Test.
However, a number of Ben Stokes’ team have been laid low by a virus ahead of the game
Only five batters, including Ollie Pope, took part in Wednesday’s net session in Rawalpindi
Fast bowler Mark Wood missed training on Tuesday with illness.
As things stand, there are no plans to name a stand-in captain, with England confident Stokes will recover in time.
Root, who has already recovered after catching the bug earlier in the week, said: ‘We’ve tried to do everything we can to get right for this game, but sometimes life throws you these things at you as a squad and we have to see how we rock up tomorrow. The guys are doing everything they can to get ready.
‘I felt unwell yesterday and woke up feeling much better today so hopefully it is a 24-hour thing.’