Stokes hopeful of returning this season

Ben Stokes is hopeful that his international season is not over despite the calf injury that has ruled him out of the third against Pakistan and appears likely to keep him out of the final Test as well.

Stokes pulled up during his sixth over in Pakistan's second innings at Old Trafford and subsequent MRI scans confirmed a tear. He will undergo further assessment when the England squad meet up at Edgbaston on Monday but the fourth Test at The Oval, which begins on August 11, will almost certainly come too soon for him.

Stokes tweeted about his frustration having just returned from knee surgery after he pulled up during the first Test against Sri Lanka in May. The Old Trafford Test was his first match back for England.

"Devastated about the injury especially with all the hard work put in by myself and others to get me back to FULL fitness," he posted. "Another couple weeks of rehab and hoping to finish off what has been great summer so far for @ECB_cricket."

Following the Tests, England's five-match ODI series against Pakistan starts on August 24 before a one-off T20 on September 7 completes the international season.

England will be reluctant to rush Stokes back given the crammed period of cricket they have to finish the year. Pending security assessments they leave for the tour of Bangladesh at the end of September - a trip that includes three ODIs and two Tests - before a five-match Test series India.

Stokes will be vital to the balance of the side on the subcontinent where England will likely want to field two spinners. The performances of Chris Woakes since his comeback against Sri Lanka mean that they are not without another all-round option, but their combined skills mean England could at some stage field a six-man bowling attack with Stokes considered a good enough batsman to play in the top five.

In the short-term, for Edgbaston next week and at The Oval, England are likely to turn back to a frontline quick to fill Stokes' place with both Steven Finn and Jake Ball in the 13-man squad. Adil Rashid is also in the party, and will be an option if the pitches look like favouring spin, although having seen how Pakistan handled the quicks at Old Trafford England will probably opt to hit them with pace.