Ben's back to a pitch puzzle

PAKISTAN PRIMED TO TAKE HUGE GAMBLES

- RORY DOLLARD

BEN STOKES will step into the unknown if he returns to the England line-up as expected for the second Test here tomorrow.

Stokes looks set to lead his country for the first time since tearing his hamstring back in August, having handed over the reins to Ollie Pope for the last four games.

And it looks like he will have to deal with two complete curveballs from Pakistan cricket bosses in the wake of last week's huge defeat on the same ground.

The first one is that the home nation are planning to gamble on using the same pitch where they suffered humiliation at the hands of England.

And the second is that their two highest-profile stars - batting icon Babar Azam (inset, top) and pace bowling ace Shaheen Shah Afridi (bottom) - have both been DROPPED.