England captain Ben Stokes will miss the deciding Test against India after being ruled out with a right shoulder injury.
Stokes, whose deputy Ollie Pope will lead the team in his absence, has been battling a variety of fitness issues over the course of the Rothesay series and has finally been laid low with a problem that reared its head during last week’s draw at Old Trafford.
He will be replaced by Jacob Bethell, making his first Test appearance of the year in one of four changes to the England XI.
Liam Dawson has been dropped one match into his comeback, with England opting to go without a front-line spinner, while pace pair Jofra Archer and Brydon Carse are rested.
Three fresh quicks come into the side, with Surrey pair Gus Atkinson and Jamie Overton returning on home soil and Josh Tongue completing the line-up.
It is understood Stokes has sustained a grade-three muscle tear, meaning a significant lay-off awaits the all-rounder.
England do not play Test cricket again until the Ashes this winter, meaning the 34-year-old could face a tight recovery period to be fit for the hotly-anticipated series.
Stokes is due to address the media on Wednesday morning to shed further light on his condition.
