Ben Stokes Requires Surgery for Torn Hamstring, Sidelined for Three Months

England Test captain Ben Stokes will undergo surgery for a torn left hamstring, which will sideline him from all cricket for a minimum of three months. He sustained the injury during a match against New Zealand. The 33-year-old sustained the injury while bowling on day three of the third Test match against New Zealand earlier in the current month. This marks the second instance this year that Stokes has torn his left hamstring, with the previous occurrence happening in August during The Hundred tournament. England confirmed that Durham all-rounder Stokes is scheduled for surgery in January. Stokes shared his thoughts on X, stating: “Something else to overcome – go on then.” He added, “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.” He also remarked, “There’s a reason I have a phoenix permanently inked on my body.” As a result of the injury, Stokes was omitted from England’s squads for the white-ball tour of India and the Champions Trophy, both scheduled for January and February. He was also slated to participate in the SA20, South Africa’s franchise T20 league, for MI Cape Town in January, but will now be unavailable for that tournament. England’s next Test match is scheduled for May, when they will play Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge. Stokes’ objective is to regain fitness for the opening round of the County Championship on 4 April, where Durham is set to play Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, although his participation will be contingent on his post-surgery recovery. To extend his England career, Stokes chose not to enter the auction for the 2025 Indian Premier League, which is scheduled to run from March to May. In the third Test defeat in Hamilton, Stokes bowled 36.2 overs, marking his highest workload in a single match since June 2022. His total of 66.1 overs bowled throughout the series, which England won 2-1, represented his most as captain. England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick indicated that Stokes’ bowling workload might need to be managed following this repeated hamstring injury. However, Stokes himself stated that he will not be “holding back” with his bowling upon his return from this recent setback. A year prior, Stokes underwent surgery for a persistent left knee issue that had affected his bowling performance throughout 2023. This year, he missed three home Tests against Sri Lanka and one Test in Pakistan after sustaining a hamstring tear while playing for Northern Superchargers. Stokes acknowledged that the endeavor to achieve fitness for the last two Tests in Pakistan had a mental impact. He appeared to be regaining his peak form in New Zealand before experiencing a recurrence of the hamstring injury. England’s Test team anticipates a pivotal year in 2025, featuring five home Tests against India during the summer, followed by an attempt to reclaim the Ashes in Australia in the winter.