England Test captain, Ben Stokes, has been ruled out of all forms of cricket for the next three months after his hamstring injury resurfaced. Stokes was seen leaving the ground after the second ball of his thirteenth over in the third innings. It was moments after he delivered a bouncer to Rachin Ravindra when he was seen limping off the field, with visible pain on his face, clutching his left thigh. As expected, it was soon confirmed that the fast-bowling all-rounder would not return to the field and was due to undergo scans to assess the full extent of his injury.
Once back in England, he underwent medical scans which confirmed that he tore the same hamstring that kept him out for two months straight earlier this year. This happened in August when he was batting in the Hundred. The tear saw him miss the entire 100-ball tournament as well as four consecutive Test matches including the red-ball series versus Sri Lanka and the first Test match in Pakistan. Since his return in the second Test match of the Pakistan tour, he had only played four Test games before getting injured again.
While the news of a recurring injury is not what players fancy hearing, especially when they are nearing the inevitable in their careers, Stokes’ spirits are as high as ever. Hours after the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the news, Stokes took to his X account and said,
“Something else to overcome…go on then!!!!!!!! I’ve got so much more left in this tank and so much more blood sweat and tears to go through for my team and this shirt. There’s a reason I have a Phoenix permanently inked on my body. See you on the field to f**k some shit up.”
For many, this is not a very ideal time to be missing out on playing cricket since plenty of cricket, especially the franchise leagues, is waiting to be played. However, having already opted out of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) and not being named in England’s Champions Trophy-bound squad, Stokes will be happy not to get a FOMO overdose. In addition, England’s next red-ball assignment will come in May against Zimbabwe. This means his rehabilitation will only see him miss the SAT20, though that will cause him to leave out on his whopping £800,000 deal with MI Cape Town.
Ben Stokes signed a two-year contract with the ECB in October. Despite his struggles with injuries, he has been adamant about his desire to prolong his career for as long as he can. He was very clear about his priorities when asked why he passed on the opportunity of playing in the IPL.
“[It is about] prioritising games and when I do play – obviously I’m in South Africa this year – so it’s about looking at what I’ve got ahead and making the decision that I think is right for me to be able to prolong my career as long as possible. I want to wear this England shirt for as long as I can.”
No red-ball cricket until May will also save England the headache of deciding who will lead in Stokes’ absence.
