Stokes set for competitive return after recovering from injuries
England skipper Ben Stokes is set to return to competitive cricket during Durham’s County Championship match against Worcestershire.
England skipper Ben Stokes is set to return to competitive cricket during Durham’s County Championship match against Worcestershire.
England Test skipper Ben Stokes is targeting a return to competitive cricket next month after recovering from a facial injury sustained during a training session in February, an incident he admits could have been far more serious.
England skipper Ben Stokes has made it clear that his working relationship with head coach Brendon McCullum remains firmly intact, even if the way they operate together continues to evolve following England’s difficult The Ashes tour of Australia.
Ben Stokes has been out of cricketing action since leaving the field due to an adductor injury during the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia in Sydney last month.
England captain Ben Stokes labelled the Boxing Day Test win at the MCG a “pretty special feeling” after his side finally brought an end to a 15-year wait for a Test victory on Australian soil.
With Australia in control after the opening two matches, England face a daunting task and must win all three remaining Tests to keep their hopes of reclaiming the Ashes alive.
On the eve of the pink-ball Test at the Gabba, Stokes made it clear that the selection was dictated by conditions and team balance, not a reflection on Bashir’s standing within the squad.
“We know that there'll be a lot of disappointed fans in England after that first defeat,” Stokes told reporters.
“It's great to have the X-factor that Joff and Woody possess in terms of pace,” Stokes said in Perth on Wednesday.
Stokes has long been England’s big-match player, best remembered for his heroic unbeaten 135 at Headingley during the 2019 Ashes, which secured one of the most dramatic Test victories in history.
