Ben Stokes did not even consider a review. His misjudgement of Noman Ali’s line and length was so severe that even with his team in dire straits – five down in their second innings, and still behind – he knew he had to shuffle off as quickly as possible.
This was Stokes’s second slapstick dismissal in as many Tests. In Multan, he had launched his bat skyward trying to hit Noman as hard and far as possible. This time, he did not use his bat at all, producing an inexplicable leave.
It was an ugly but emblematic end to Stokes’s subcontinental year. Others have had poor years – notably Ollie Pope – but Stokes’s figures are the worst of any of the batsmen: 252 runs at 18. His sole half-century came in the very first innings of the year, when he made a counter-attacking 70 to fight fires in Hyderabad. His past nine innings make for sorry reading: 15, 3, 4, 0, 2, 1, 37, 12, 3. The No 6 position is so important in a batting order, perfectly placed to snuff out a collapse before it spreads to the tail. Stokes has been unable to do that.
No one will be gladder that England are not due back in Asia until early 2027. Stokes’s overall record there – an average of 26.5 – is poor, with his only hundred in the subcontinent (in Rajkot) coming eight years ago.
Stokes is a gung-ho character and cricketer, but batting against spin he has become timid. He gets trapped on the crease, allowing spinners to bowl fuller and fuller to him, making him a huge LBW candidate. The man who has hit more sixes than any other in Test history barely plays a shot in anger, allowing spinners to wheel away unperturbed, honing in on those pads. Noman surely could not believe his luck when Stokes shouldered arms.
There has been a common theme on England’s two tours to the subcontinent this year: Stokes has barely bowled. In India, that was because he was recovering from major knee surgery. This time, he missed the first Test because of a nasty hamstring injury, but claimed his lack of overs was not down to fitness.
In Multan, he only bowled when he felt the ball would reverse swing. In Rawalpindi, Gus Atkinson bowled 12 overs in the match, and Stokes said his decision not to use himself was entirely tactical. “My fitness had nothing to do with me not bowling,” he said. Surely, as Pakistan racked up 344, a single spell of exploratory pace from England’s most experienced bowler on the tour would have been worthwhile across almost 100 overs.
When Stokes does not bowl, England struggle to balance their side. But Stokes suffers, too. He looks a shadow of himself when not bowling. He has spoken about how being an all-rounder has defined his cricket since he started playing, and something is missing when he does not bowl. Perhaps he lacks a little purpose. It is no coincidence that in the three Tests Stokes played between India and Pakistan – against West Indies in July – he was fit enough to bowl 49 overs, and averaged 48 with the bat.
That series provided optimism that Stokes could be back to his all-round best through to the end of next winter’s Ashes. He is contracted by England for another year beyond that, and may have an eye on finishing up with Brendon McCullum after the 2027 Ashes. He is 33 now, with a lot of miles on the clock. By the end of the tour of New Zealand next month, we will know more about his long-term future as an all-rounder.
As captain, Stokes has a lot on his plate, especially when he spends so much time rehabbing injuries in a bid to play as an all-rounder. Nasser Hussian, the former England captain, espoused the theory that Stokes’s captaincy became tired against the tail in Pakistan’s first innings, because he put so much mental effort into the role. His batting looked tired, too.
Stokes will be more comfortable in New Zealand. One of the skills of a long career is ensuring you do not take baggage with you from one tour to the next. Asked a question about Pope, he gave an answer that he could do with bearing in mind for himself.
“Everyone goes through highs and lows,” he said. “I have played a lot of cricket, I know that. I have a hell of a lot of experience to fall back on.”
