Ben Stokes has been ruled out of all cricket for a minimum of three months due to a torn left hamstring. The England captain sustained the injury during the third Test against New Zealand in Hamilton, where England secured a 2-1 series victory.
Earlier this week, Stokes was excluded from England’s 15-man squad for next year’s Champions Trophy due to his injury. His last appearance in the 50-over format was during the 2023 World Cup.
Stokes has faced a series of long-term injuries in recent months. Following the ODI World Cup, he underwent knee surgery in October 2023, which required an extended rehabilitation period before he could return to action.
Even during the World Cup, England struggled to fully utilize his services. In August, Stokes suffered a torn hamstring that ruled him out for the rest of the English summer. Although he returned, he had to manage his bowling workload carefully. To further protect his fitness, he chose not to participate in the 2024 IPL auction.
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Before the Hamilton Test, Stokes had expressed confidence in his physical condition, stating, “I have to work so much harder on the physical side of the job to allow me to go out and do my job, but I got a good amount of overs in during the last two games and am more confident about getting through a lot of spells in a day.”
Despite this confidence, Stokes has now been sidelined by a similar long-term injury, meaning he will miss next year’s Hundred competition, which begins on January 9.