“I feel good. “I’m looking forward to being back on the field,” said Stokes before his return. “I worked really hard at the end of my rehab period at home and also during the last friendly. I pretty much took a fitness test over the last few days and passed it pretty well.”

England await a lower-scoring second Test, with the game set to be played on the same jersey used in last week's innings victory. The pitch was heavily watered but dried out in the sun during the two days of training and the surface used could bring both teams' spinners into play.

Stokes has been bowling in training and will be England's third seam option behind Potts and Brydon Carse, his Durham team-mates. It is a rare example of England selecting three sailors from the same county. “It will be a proud moment for the club,” he said. “Durham has a great track record of producing English cricketers, particularly fast bowlers.”

On his own bowling fitness, Stokes said: “I obviously have to be sensible. Playing on a used wicket made the decision a little easier… We've got two workhorses in the team in Carsey and Potts who just keep going.” and I go and go. But I am available to bowl and when I feel the time is right for me to make an impact, I will have no doubt.

England's seamers all had a heavy workload despite their innings win in the first Test: Atkinson bowled 39 overs, Carse 38 and Woakes 35. Atkinson and Woakes both played all six Tests of England's home summer and were rested, with a short break between games, during Carse should be much fresher after serving suspensions in June, July and August.

“You can see the last seven Test matches have been pretty tough – especially the last one,” Stokes said. “If you look at the sailors we have out here, this is a good time for them to rest and refresh their bodies. They had a really great summer and performed really well and bowled a lot of overs. This is it. “A good time for them to put their feet up and take a break.”

Ben Duckett retains his place at the top of the order after recovering from a dislocated thumb injury on the second night of the first Test, while Jamie Smith will slide back to No.7 to allow Stokes to return to his preferred role at No.7. 6.

England are sticking with the same spinners – Jack Leach and Shoaib Bashir – despite Bashir's quiet first Test in which he took a strike rate of 1 for 156. Rehan Ahmed is the other spin option in their squad, while Warwickshire and England U19 leg-spinner Tazeem Ali is on holiday in Pakistan and has been bowling in the nets this week.

England XI: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (Capt), 7 Jamie Smith (Week), 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Matthew Potts, 10 Jack Leach, 11 Shoaib Bashir