England Test cricket captain Ben Stokes will not play any cricket for the next three months at a minimum after a tear was confirmed in his left hamstring. Surgery is scheduled for January for the 33-year-old all-rounder; this is his second hamstring tear of the year.
He injured himself while playing New Zealand in the series currently on
Stokes hurt his hamstring on the third day of the third Test against New Zealand early in the month. He was grimacing in pain before he limped off the field. He has sustained this for the second time in 2024. The first had occurred in The Hundred, August.
Even in a broken body, Stokes is being positive. He posted in his social media saying, “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.”
Surgery and Recovery Timeline
Stokes is scheduled to have a hamstring operation in January. That will miss him from the white ball tour of India and Champions Trophy in January and February. He would also have missed the SA20 T20 league that is South Africa’s, MI Cape Town.
England’s next Test series is scheduled for May 2025 at Trent Bridge against Zimbabwe. Stokes would likely be targeting a return in time for the first round of the County Championship in April, where his Durham side is set to play Nottinghamshire, though this will be subject to how his surgery and rehabilitation goes.
Impact on the Career Planning of Stokes
Stokes has already ruled himself out of the 2025 Indian Premier League auction in pursuit of his career with England while aligning with the managing of his workload given fitness issues that continue to plague him. His assistant coach Marcus Tresco thick had recently felt that England would have to curb Stokes’ bowling workload from here on but Stokes, however, indicated that he would not shy away once he gets fit.
The injury also reminds of the heavy physical toll Stokes has to pay both as a vital bowler and captain. In the New Zealand series, Stokes bowled 66.1 overs—the most he has ever bowled as captain—and 36.2 overs in the third Test alone, his highest in a match since June 2022.
A Challenging Year for Stokes
Stokes’ 2024 season has been marred by injuries and fitness issues. He had to undergo knee surgery last year to correct a long-term problem, and the actual recovery was mentally taxing; he was only fit to play in the final two Tests against Pakistan earlier in the year. His struggles to get fully fit came undone with the recurrence of his hamstring injury.
This adds more pressure on Stokes and the English team in this crucial year of 2025 as they are supposed to host five home Tests against India in the summer and then engage in a grueling Ashes tour of Australia in the winter. It indeed will be high stakes for Stokes and the entire England team.
Hope in despair
Despite the repeated injuries, Stokes is still staying with his role as captain and player. His tenacity and determination have provided a hallmark to his career, and he does appear prepared to take on this latest challenge head-on.
The cricketing schedule of England is going to be too busy, and all fans would hope that the team will see their captain return in good health. Stokes is a bright spot in England’s cricketing future because his return to the game is eagerly anticipated by one and all.
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