As England gears up for the first Test against Sri Lanka at Old Trafford on Wednesday, the team faces the challenge of competing without their captain, Ben Stokes, who is sidelined due to a torn hamstring sustained during the Hundred tournament. This marks the first time since the inception of the 'Bazball' era, led by Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum, that England will play without their inspirational leader. Vice-captain Ollie Pope will take over as captain, despite having limited experience in this role at the first-class level.

In the absence of Stokes, England has made some strategic changes to their lineup. Fast bowler Matthew Potts has been recalled, and Dan Lawrence will open the batting for the first time in his career, stepping in for Zak Crawley, who is out with a fractured finger. England is expected to perform strongly against Sri Lanka, who, like the West Indies, have had limited preparation with only one warm-up match before the series.

Sri Lanka, while missing their legendary batsmen Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, boasts experienced players like Angelo Mathews and Dimuth Karunaratne. The team is now under the interim coaching of Sanath Jayasuriya, who aims to leverage their experience to compete effectively. Jayasuriya believes that the timing of the tour, occurring later in the summer, could work to Sri Lanka's advantage, as the conditions are more akin to what they are used to.