Ben Stokes is expected to play in Boxing Day Test:

England all-rounder Ben Stokes’s father was admitted to a hospital on Monday in Johannesburg due to a serious illness. He also missed a training session on Tuesday to be at his father’s bedside.

ECB and England skipper Joe Root requested the media and public to respect their family’s privacy, yesterday.

Ben’s father Ged Stokes was a former Derby League International player and coach, living in Christchurch. He traveled to South Africa to watch his son play in the 4-match Test series.

The all-rounder is likely to take a full part in training on Christmas Day at SuperSport Park in preparation for the Boxing Day Test which starts from tomorrow, following the improvement in the condition of his father.

The Stokes’ family has thanked the cricket fans for their support and expressed gratitude to the medical practitioners in Johannesburg for their care of Ged Stokes.

Ollie Pope, Chris Woakes also affected by sickness before the Boxing Day Test:

The sickness bug had struck the touring team and Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer, and Jack Leach were affected by the illness. The 21-year-old Ollie Pope is the latest one to be affected by the illness according to the symptoms.

All-rounder Chris Woakes is also sidelined due to the same reason. Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, and Chris Woakes will not be taking part in training on Christmas Day. However, none of the 3 players have been ruled out yet from playing in the Test starting from tomorrow, but England is most likely to take no risks regarding their players’ health or fitness.

The England national team is also expected to wear black armbands during the match as a mark of respect for the former England captain, Bob Willis, who passed away on December 4 at 70 years of age.