London, December 24: England Test captain Ben Stokes has been ruled out of cricket for three months after aggravating a hamstring injury during the third Test against New Zealand last month. The 33-year-old sustained the injury while bowling on the third day of the match at Seddon Park, forcing him to leave the field. England suffered a crushing 423-run defeat in the match.
The injury occurred during the 56th over of New Zealand’s second innings, when Stokes delivered a bouncer—his 13th over of the innings and third of the day. He immediately felt pain in the back of his left thigh, prompting him to leave the field.
Recurring Injury Trouble
This latest setback follows a similar injury Stokes suffered in August, while batting for Northern Superchargers against Manchester Originals in The Hundred tournament. That injury kept him out of action for two months. A subsequent scan in England earlier this month confirmed the reoccurrence of the hamstring issue.
The seriousness of Stokes’ condition was confirmed earlier this week when the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced his exclusion from England’s 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy scheduled for February 2025. The ECB stated that Stokes was not considered for selection due to medical grounds.
A Series of Setbacks
Stokes has struggled with injuries throughout the year. After undergoing successful knee surgery in October 2023, he returned during England’s home summer for the Test series against the West Indies, where he bowled 49 overs and claimed five wickets, reaching the milestone of 200 Test wickets in his career.
However, recurring knee issues forced him to miss the latter part of the season, including the three-match Test series against Sri Lanka and the first Test of England’s tour to Pakistan. Stokes returned for the final two matches of the Pakistan series but England lost both games, conceding the series 2-1 despite winning the first Test.
Stokes later admitted that his efforts to regain full fitness had left him physically drained, and he apologized to the team for any negative impact his struggles had on the team’s morale.
Impact on Upcoming Fixtures
The injury rules Stokes out of England’s next Test match, scheduled for May 22 against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge. Furthermore, he will be unable to fulfill his lucrative £800,000 contract with MI Cape Town for the SA20 tournament, which begins on January 9.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
