England captain Ben Stokes sparked injury concerns during the third Test against India at Lord's on July 10, 2025. Stokes appeared to be struggling with a groin injury, requiring on-field medical treatment. He showed visible signs of discomfort while running between wickets during his partnership with Joe Root. Stokes's condition is a concern for England, especially with the remaining matches against India and the upcoming Ashes tour in Australia.
Stokes seemed to be hampered by the groin issue late on the first day of the Test. He even declined a possible second run in the final over, which would have allowed Joe Root to reach his century. England ended the day at 251/4, with Root unbeaten on 99 and Stokes on 39 not out. There are currently no plans for Stokes to undergo a scan, with England set to assess his condition again on Friday morning.
Stokes's career has been plagued by injuries, including a knee operation in 2023 and two serious hamstring tears in the past eight months. Despite these setbacks, he had recently returned to his role as a fully fledged all-rounder, making his latest injury a cause for concern.
Vice-captain Ollie Pope addressed the media after the day's play, expressing hope that Stokes would recover quickly. "Fingers crossed he can do something magic and come back strong," Pope said. He also emphasized the importance of managing Stokes's workload, considering the crucial Test match and the series ahead. "We've got a big Test over the next four days and a big two coming up as well, so it is important to try and manage him," Pope added. Pope also stated that he will try to ensure that Stokes won't push himself as a bowler if he has suffered any injury. "For me, it's partially one of my roles to make sure he doesn't push himself to a ridiculous place with whatever he's dealing with at the moment," he added.
India also faced an injury concern during the match, with wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant hurting his finger. Pant was struck on his left index finger while attempting to stop a ball. He received treatment on the field and was replaced by Dhruv Jurel for the remainder of the day. The BCCI acknowledged Pant's injury and stated that he is under the supervision of the medical team. Nitish Kumar Reddy said he didn't have much information about Pant's injury and would provide further details on Friday.
