Ollie Pope hopeful of Ben Stokes having a bowl at Ranchi

England captain Ben Stokes at a practice session in Ranchi yesterday. Pic/Getty Images

Ahead of the fourth Test against India, England skipper Ben Stokes was seen bowling with full intensity during a team practice session at the JSCA Stadium Complex on Wednesday.

Stokes, who has 197 wickets in 100 Tests at an average of 32.07, has had a persistent left knee issue and last showcased his bowling prowess during the second Ashes Test at Lord's last year. Even at the 2023 World Cup in India, he played as a specialist batter and underwent knee surgery after the tournament, in November.

Ollie Pope

England's vice-captain Ollie Pope seemed optimistic about the chances of his skipper resuming bowling duties, which could alter the dynamics of England's team selection for this all-important fourth Test. "There's definitely a chance [of Stokes bowling]," Pope said at a press conference here.

"He [Stokes] has not confirmed it even in the changing room, so we will see, but he bowled at the batters today. We'll see how he pulls up, and if that's good, hopefully, we will see him with the ball in hand in the game," said Pope.

"If he [Stokes] has full confidence in his knee, I guess you've got to trust the medical advice and trust his opinion as well. That's the main thing and if he needs a bit of guidance on the pitch, then I can be someone to lean on," he added.