England captain Ben Stokes says it is “very unlikely” he will miss the decisive final Test against India at The Oval.
All-rounder Stokes struggled across the final three days of the drawn fourth Test at Old Trafford, repeatedly feeling for the top of his legs and right bicep.
The 34-year-old has a chequered injury history and has had surgeries on his left knee and hamstring in the past two years.
He is also in superb form. He took 5-72 with the ball in India’s first innings in Manchester, then followed up with 141 with the bat, becoming only the fourth England man to take a five-wicket haul and score a century in the same Test.
There is a short turnaround to the fifth Test, which begins on Thursday.
“I don’t want to eat my words, but the likelihood I won’t play is very unlikely,” said Stokes. “Mentally, I’m decent. Physically, I’ve been better.”
While Stokes has historically struggled with injuries to his left leg, he said the problem with his right bicep has been “stirring away” for some time.
“It’s been a pretty big workload so far in this series,” said the Durham man. “It was another big week in the third Test at Lord’s, the same again this week. Pain is just an emotion, so it’s just one of those things.
“It’s my bicep tendon. It’s had a lot of workload through it. It’s a lot of time in the middle doing my job. It didn’t get any worse. Hopefully it settles down and will be as good as gold for the last game.”