In a candid Instagram post, Ben Stokes assured fans that his recent facial surgery went off without a hitch. The England Test skipper suffered the injury during nets practice when a ball struck his face, causing significant damage that required surgical intervention.
‘Looks rough, but surgery was successful,’ Stokes wrote alongside a graphic image of his recuperating face. This update follows his initial disclosure of the injury last week, keeping supporters in the loop amid concerns over his availability.
The timing couldn’t be worse for Stokes, who limped off during the decisive Ashes Test in Sydney last month due to an adductor strain. As the only major star fully committed to Test cricket, his absence from white-ball formats since the 2023 World Cup underscores his red-ball focus.
A comeback is eyed for June’s New Zealand Test series at home, with preparatory stints planned in Durham’s County Championship to build match readiness.
Stokes’ dual role extended to coaching duties with England Lions in Abu Dhabi versus Pakistan Shaheens, teaming up with Moeen Ali and Andrew Flintoff. The tour features three T20Is with a 17-man squad and five List A games with 16 players.
England’s Test fortunes hang in the balance under Stokes. The high-octane Bazball style crumbled in the 4-1 Ashes loss to Australia, fueling debates on whether the captain-coach pairing of Stokes and Brendon McCullum needs a tactical rethink to compete with the elite.