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• Stokes a doubt for England's series opener against Pakistan

  Ben Stokes is a doubt for England's three-match series in Pakistan, with Zak Crawley admitting they do not know if he will be fit to feature.

  Stokes tore his hamstring playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred competition, forcing him to miss the side's last three matches against Sri Lanka, with England winning the series 2-1.

  At the end of September, the captain underwent a planned scan which showed he was “on track” to feature in the series, although he was not expected to bowl at the start.

  Stokes had been hoping to make his return in the series opener on Monday, but looked uncomfortable in England's first training session, and is yet to be given the green light.

  "I think he's got to do a few more tests, but he's been doing some running and stuff," Crawley said.

  "He seems to be going well, recovering well from his injury, [but] we don't know just yet. We feel ready, whatever team comes out, it will be a nice balance either way.

  "We've got a really deep squad with plenty of options with the ball and with the bat as well."

  If Stokes is available to play, they could have some selection headaches, as they would be forced to drop one of the top six batters with his inclusion to make way for an extra bowler.

  If they do not drop a batter, they could rely on Joe Root, who could also make history as he has 12,402 runs for England in men's tests and is just 71 away from surpassing Alastair Cook (12,472) as the all-time leading run-scorer.

  Crawley, meanwhile, has been cleared to feature after recovering from a broken finger that kept him out against Sri Lanka. 

  "I feel brand new. I'm looking forward to getting out there," Crawley added.

  "I couldn't pick up a bat for five weeks. I've certainly missed it, so I can't wait to get out there again with the boys.

  "It was a nasty break at the time, but I've recovered well, and I don't feel it at all while I'm batting.

  "I won't go at slip, just from advice from the doctor, but I feel like I could. I'm trying to rest it, but I did a few catches, and it feels fine. I'm just trying to follow the professional advice."

• Gillespie defends under-fire Pakistan captain Masood ahead of England Test series

  Jason Gillespie insists Shan Masood has a "clear plan" as Pakistan's Test captain.

  Pakistan's red-ball skipper has faced scrutiny after overseeing five straight defeats as captain, starting by being whitewashed 3-0 by Australia last December.

  That was followed by a shock 2-0 series defeat to Bangladesh last month, which marked Gillespie's first as Pakistan Test coach.

  Next up is a three-match series with England, where Joe Root (12,402) is 71 away from surpassing Alastair Cook (12,472) as the all-time leading run scorer for England in men’s Tests, beginning in Multan on Monday.

  Speaking on BBC World Service's Stumped podcast, Gillespie said of Masood: "Shan has got a very clear plan on how the Test side should play and we are completely aligned on that," the 49-year-old said.

  "There are things people don't see and I've been really impressed by his communication with the players and how he's gone about doing his job."

  Gillespie added that he believes part of the issue is improving the fitness of the team.

  He added: "We can't afford to have players in international cricket who are not fit or strong enough to negotiate the rigours of the game.

  "What I've learned from the Bangladesh series is that we've got some wonderful players, but we need to be more consistent. We've got the skills but we need to keep fine-tuning them.

  "There's also been plenty of talks around fitness and we're making sure that it's a key component for us going forward."

• Stokes 'on track' to lead out England in Pakistan Test series

  Ben Stokes has been given the green light to captain England’s Test tour of Pakistan next month, but he is still unlikely to bowl at the start of the series.

  Stokes missed his side’s last three matches against Sri Lanka after tearing his hamstring while playing for Northern Superchargers in The Hundred competition. 

  The 33-year-old underwent a planned scan on the injury on Wednesday, with a statement from the ECB confirming he remains "on track" to feature in the three-match series. 

  However, it appears increasingly likely that he will operate as a specialist batter, with England unwilling to take any risks over the long-term health of their captain.

  "I think that's you getting ahead of yourself. Obviously, I've been six-and-a-half weeks now of just walking and doing stuff in the gym," Stokes told Sky Sports. 

  "There's a lot more than just my hamstring that I need to get back firing and working up again in terms of bowling, because you use everything, so I need to get that all right to make sure I don't do any damage to other parts of my body."

  Stokes oversaw a 3-0 clean sweep in Pakistan two years ago – his first overseas assignment after taking over from Joe Root – and his presence will be a major boost to England’s prospects.

  It will, though, restrict the tourists' options in terms of balancing the team, with his inclusion likely forcing out one of their regular top order.

  On his recovery, Stokes added: "I'm all good. I have my six-and-a-half week scan tomorrow and we'll know more from that, but I am feeling good.

  "It was a hamstring tear which sneaked into my tendon. That's why it takes a week or two longer than a normal hammy.

  "Rehab has gone really well, so hopefully everything tomorrow will get the all clear, and we will start pushing it a bit more."