England Test skipper Ben Stokes has endured a series of injury problems that have affected his cricketing journey. Knee and toe discomfort caused him to miss a lot Indian Premier League 2023 (IPL) season, leaving him on the bench for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). His injury problems worsened in England's third Test new Zealand in Hamiltonwhere he sustained an injury to his left hip that required surgery. The 33-year-old has given an update on his recovery, but the news could leave fans worried about his future.
Ben Stokes sheds light on his hamstring injury via social media post
In the Hamilton Test against New Zealand, Stokes bowled 36.2 overs for his team. This was the most Test batsman England has played since June 2022. However, England faced a double whammy in the final match of the tournament when they lost to the home team by 423 runs and their captain was seriously injured. Stokes suffered another hamstring injury in the same leg while playing in The Hundred in August last year.
After a long road to recovery, Stokes gave an update on his pre-surgery condition via social media where he called himself a joke. 'The Bionic Man'. The England captain is expected to undergo surgery this month and has said he will not play cricket for the next three months.
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Ben Stokes has undergone surgery on his left tear 🤕
Relax, see you soon, @benstokes38 🏴 pic.twitter.com/o0c3QRaRP8
– England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) January 7, 2025
Stokes began to miss major cricket events to focus on his recovery
After his hamstring surgery, Stokes will need long-term care and continuous rehabilitation before stepping on the field again. The English player has withdrawn his name from the IPL market and is about to miss out SA20 season, the South African T20 league he was supposed to play MI Cape Town.
In addition, Stokes is expected to miss several events in international cricket. He has already been left out of England's touring squad India for 5-match T20I and 3-match ODI series. He must also miss his appearance in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 it is planned to happen Pakistan this year. Stokes wants to return to England's Test team before the long season of Test cricket where he will play. Zimbabwe in May with a 5-match Test series against India before departing Australia will also host The Ashes at the end of the year.