England Test captain Ben Stokes has endured a series of injury setbacks that have impacted his cricketing journey. Persistent knee and toe discomfort forced him to miss most of the Indian Premier League 2023 (IPL) season, leaving him benched for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). His injury troubles worsened during England’s third Test against New Zealand in Hamilton, where he suffered a left hamstring injury that required surgery. The 33-year-old has provided an update on his recovery, but the news may leave fans concerned about his future fitness.
Ben Stokes sheds light on his hamstring injury through a social media post
During the Hamilton Test against New Zealand, Stokes bowled a total of 36.2 overs for his team. This was the most England Test skipper has bowled since June 2022. However, England faced a double-upset in the final match of the series as they were defeated by the home side by 423 runs and their captain suffered a major injury. Stokes had another hamstring injury in the same leg while playing in The Hundred in August last year.
Set on a long road to recovery, Stokes provided an update on his injury situation before going for the surgery through a social media post in which he mockingly called himself ‘The Bionic Man’. The England skipper was expected to undergo surgery this month and has already ruled out of cricket for the next three months.
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Ben Stokes has had his operation on his left hamstring tear 🤕
Rest up and we’ll see you soon, @benstokes38 🏴👋 pic.twitter.com/o0c3QRaRP8
— England’s Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) January 7, 2025
Stokes set to miss major cricketing events to focus on his recovery
Following his hamstring surgery, Stokes will require prolonged care and steady rehabilitation before setting foot on the field once again in any capacity. The English all-rounder has pulled his name off from the IPL auction and is set to miss the SA20 season, South Africa’s franchise T20 league where he was set to play for MI Cape Town.
Additionally, Stokes is set to miss a number of events in international cricket. He has already been ruled out of the England squad which will tour India for a 5-match T20I and 3-match ODI series. He is also set to miss featuring in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 scheduled to be held in Pakistan this year. Stokes will aim to make a comeback in the England Test squad ahead of a long season of Test cricket where they will play against Zimbabwe in May and a 5-match Test series against India before they set to travel to Australia to re-claim The Ashes at the end of the year.
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