Image Source : Depositphotos
Ben Stokes out for three months due to a hamstring injury coming back
Ben Stokes out for three months due to a hamstring injury coming back
ECB confirms England test team captain set to miss SA20 but should be fit for the Zimbabwe Test on May.
England’s Test Captain, Ben Stokes made a vow that he would give his “Blood, Sweat and Tears to the team after he was withdrawn from all cricket for three after injuring his left hamstring again during the third Test match against New Zealand last month.
At the start of the month, Stokes made to leave the field at the time of day three of England’s 423-run beat at Seddon. He came to a stop after bowling the second ball of the 56th over during New Zealand's second innings—his 13th over overall and the third of the day. Right after delivering a bouncer that Rachin Ravindra hit for four runs, he suddenly felt pain in the back of his left thigh.
Ben Stokes is dealing with the same hamstring injury he suffered in August while playing for the Northern Superchargers against the Manchester Originals in the men's Hundred, which sidelined him for two months. And then when coming back for England and after having a scan, the ECB confirmed on Monday afternoon that the injury had recurred.
Earlier this week, it was made clear just how serious Stokes' condition was when it was announced that he would not be part of England's 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy in February. The ECB stated that he wasn't considered for selection on medical grounds, especially since he hasn't participated in any ODI matches for England since their exit from the 50-over World Cup in India in November 2023.
Stokes bowled 36.2 overs in Hamilton, which is the most he has bowled in a Test match since he bowled 40 overs at Trent Bridge in 2022 against New Zealand. On the first day, he bowled 23 overs, which is the most he has done in one day, split into three spells of eight, eight, and seven overs. England's first innings ended poorly at 143 runs, meaning their fast bowlers only had 34.5 overs of rest after bowling 97.1 overs for New Zealand's first innings. In New Zealand's second innings, they kept England on the field for 101.4 overs, finishing with a total of 453 runs.
In this New Zealand series, Stokes took seven wickets at an average of 36.85 from 66.1 overs, which is his best as a captain, and he averaged 52.66 with the bat over four innings. After having difficulty with his all-rounder role, it was a nice return to his familiar self.
He started the home summer after having knee surgery in October 2023 and bowled 49 overs in three Tests against the West Indies, taking five wickets to go past 200 career dismissals. Unfortunately, he suffered a setback, which kept him out of the three-match series against Sri Lanka at the end of the season and the first Test of the tour to Pakistan.
Stokes came back for the last two matches of that series, but England lost both, ending up with a 2-1 defeat after winning the first Test. He admitted that his push to get fully fit caused him to "physically drain and ruin himself." When the team met in Queenstown at the start of the series, Stokes apologized for negatively affecting the team environment.
Before the Hamilton Test, Stokes was hopeful he was in a good position, having a better understanding of his body.
"I need to put in a lot more effort with my fitness to be able to perform well, but I managed to bowl a good number of overs in the last two matches, and I'm feeling more confident about handling multiple spells in a day.
"Before I hurt my hamstring, I was bowling well during the summer. I had a setback, but now I feel like I've moved past it and I'm not worried about getting hurt again. As I get older, I think more about my body, so I work harder because I need to."
Now, Stokes has to go through another recovery period. England's next Test match is not until May 22 against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, but he will have to give up a big £800,000 contract with MI Cape Town in the SA20, which starts on January 9.
Top Articles
See more
Shami, fully pain-free, aims to play domestic matches to prove his fitness for Australia
22 Oct 2024
New Zealand Fast Bowler Ben Sears Misses India Tour; Uncapped Jacob Duffy Added to Squad
15 Oct 2024
Sri Lanka Selects Former England Star Ian Bell as Batting Coach for Upcoming Test Series
14 Aug 2024
Get live cricket scores and insightful articles at Giritech Data Intelligence Pvt. Ltd. Follow your favorite matches and read expert analyses, player profiles, and more. Your ultimate destination for cricket updates and in-depth coverage.
Any Questions? Contact us at: contact@gamegiri.com
Copyright & Design By Giritech Data Intelligence Pvt. Ltd - 2025 All rights reserved.