Ben Stokes undergoes successful facial surgery, shares photo on Instagram
England Test captain Ben Stokes underwent successful surgery for a facial injury sustained during a nets session. He shared the update on Instagram, joking about the procedure. Stokes remains sidelined, with a potential return in England’s June Test series vs New Zealand.
England Test captain Ben Stokes has successfully undergone surgery following a facial injury sustained during a nets session, leaving the star all-rounder sidelined once again. The 34-year-old shared the news on Instagram on Tuesday, adding a touch of humour to the update. "May not look like it... but the surgery was a success,” Stokes wrote.
The injury occurred while Stokes was standing on the side of the nets, rather than actively batting or bowling. Last week, he had already shared details of the incident with his followers, joking about the force of the impact. "You should see the state of the ball," he quipped.
This setback comes amid an already challenging period for Stokes. He has not played any cricket since leaving the field with an adductor injury during the fifth and final Ashes Test against Australia in Sydney last month. His absence extends to white-ball formats as well, with no appearances for England since the 2023 World Cup. The all-rounder was also not selected for the ongoing T20 World Cup taking place in India and Sri Lanka.
Looking ahead, Stokes’ first potential return to international cricket is expected during England’s home Test series against New Zealand in June. In the meantime, there is a possibility he could regain match fitness by playing for Durham in the County Championship, allowing him to get back into rhythm before the international stage.
Stokes to coach England Lions
Off the field, Stokes had been set to join England Lions’ coaching staff for a white-ball series against Pakistan Shaheens in Abu Dhabi, alongside Moeen Ali and Andrew Flintoff. The series, scheduled for February and March, will feature a 17-player squad for three T20 matches and a 16-player group for five 50-over fixtures, according to the selectors.
England Lions T20 squad: Sonny Baker, Luc Benkenstein, James Coles, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox (c), Scott Currie, Calvin Harrison, Eddie Jack, Saqib Mahmood, Ben McKinney, Tom Moores, Dan Mousley, Matt Revis, Will Smeed, Nathan Sowter, Mitchell Stanley, Asa Tribe.
England Lions 50-over squad: Sonny Baker, Luc Benkenstein, James Coles, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Scott Currie, Calvin Harrison, Eddie Jack, Ben McKinney, Dan Mousley (c), Liam Patterson-White, Matthew Potts, Matt Revis, James Rew, Mitchell Stanley, Asa Tribe, James Wharton.