Stokes Setback: England Captain’s Hamstring Injury Raises Fresh Concerns

The Moment of Concern

Ben Stokes faced a new injury problem at Seddon Park. During the third Test against New Zealand, he had to leave the field. His left hamstring injury returned in his 13th over. This happened after he bowled a bouncer to Rachin Ravindra. The same injury had kept him out for two months in August.

Recent Bowling Workload

Stokes had been bowling well before this:

  • He bowled 36.2 overs in Hamilton
  • This was his most in a Test since 2022
  • On day one, he bowled 23 overs
  • These were split into three long spells
  • He had shown good physical form

Pre-injury Performance

Stokes was having a great series:

  • He took 7 wickets
  • His bowling average was 36.85
  • His batting average was 52.66
  • He had returned to good form
  • The injury came at a bad time

The Road to Recovery

His recovery journey has been tough:

  • He had knee surgery in October 2023
  • He returned to take 5 wickets against West Indies
  • He reached 200 career wickets
  • Now this new injury threatens his comeback

Impact on Future Games

The injury affects Stokes’ upcoming plans:

  • England’s next Test is on May 22 against Zimbabwe
  • He might miss the SA20 tournament
  • This starts on January 9
  • He was to play for MI Cape Town
  • The ECB can stop him from playing regardless of recovery

White-Ball Cricket Effects

The injury complicates other plans:

  • It affects his return to white-ball cricket
  • Questions arise about the Champions Trophy
  • Brendon McCullum now controls limited-overs teams
  • These decisions might change due to injury

Team Management’s View

The timing is especially difficult:

  • Assistant coach Paul Collingwood had praised Stokes
  • He was happy with Stokes’ fitness
  • He liked how Stokes managed his bowling
  • This helped team strategy

Looking Ahead

The focus is now on recovery:

  • England has won the series
  • Match results are less important
  • Stokes needs a scan
  • This will show how bad the injury is
  • It will help plan his recovery time

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