Ben Stokes, the England Test captain, has announced that he will undergo knee surgery to address the problems he’s been experiencing with his joint. He mentioned that the surgery will take place once the current ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 concludes.
Ben Stokes has been grappling with a troublesome knee issue for over a year and a half, which has compelled him to take on the role of a specialized batsman due to the toll it takes on his body when he bowls.
During this year’s Ashes series, Ben Stokes endured considerable pain but postponed the idea of undergoing surgery, despite contemplating it. Instead, he made the decision to come out of retirement for ODIs and represent England in the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.
As England’s chances of reaching the World Cup 2023 semi-finals have faded, he now plans to undergo the surgery before the end of this month. His objective is to recover in time to lead his team on the upcoming Test tour of India in the new year.
The 32-year-old Stokes has been suffering from a recurring knee ailment, which has prohibited him from bowling and restricted his role to batting exclusively throughout the World Cup in India. England is poised to face Australia in their upcoming fixture on Saturday.
Stokes didn’t bowl in the last three Ashes 2023 tests as well. He was purely playing as a batter in those games.
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Considering the English winter ahead, it might be a wise decision for Ben Stokes to undergo knee surgery if he continues to bat against India and then receive treatment. However, this decision might ultimately result in him missing out on the entire IPL, the T20 World Cup, and a large amount of the English summer. Stokes has indicated his strong desire to return to playing as an all-rounder during the next English summer, with a special focus on his bowling performance. It’s worth mentioning that England is going to host four visiting teams in the summer of 2024, including West Indies, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Australia.
Speaking ahead of his team’s match against Australia in Ahmedabad, Stokes remarked: “I am having surgery after the World Cup. I will hopefully be fine for the Test series (against India). When we go to those meetings we generally take a physio and doctor and they start talking. I just turn up, go to sleep, wake up and hope it is better.”
The England cricket team is gearing up for their first Test against India in Hyderabad, scheduled for January 25. They’ll be heading to the United Arab Emirates two weeks prior to the match for a warm-up camp.
