Ben Stokes injury: England men’s Test captain out for at least three months with torn hamstring | Cricket news

Ben Stokes has been ruled out of all cricket for at least three months with a torn left hamstring.

The injury occurred while bowling on the third day of the third Test in England’s recent 2-1 series win over New Zealand.

The 33-year-old will undergo surgery in January, just months after being sidelined with the same hamstring injury earlier this year.

Stokes missed four Tests after injuring himself during The Hundred and has been ruled out of England’s white-ball tour of India next year, as well as the Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Stokes had bowled 66.3 overs during the series away to New Zealand, his highest in a single series as captain.

England’s next Test is not until May 2025 when they face Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge.

England will also face India at home in a five-match series over the summer before attempting to bring the Ashes back to Australia in winter 2025/26.

Stokes was forced to watch his side’s final stages 423 run thrashing by New Zealand in Hamilton from the sidelines and after his defeat, he vowed to deepen his return from injury.

“No, I’m not slowing down,” Stokes said after the series finale at Seddon Park.

“Obviously I came out incredibly disappointed the other day, I was really excited about it all. But you sleep on it, you take the excitement out of it and you realize that every time you go out on the field as an athlete you’re putting yourself. with risk of injury.

“I worked really hard to put myself in a position to play the role I did in this game and it’s a law that for the first time in a long time I feel like I’m young again that something happens.

“Every setback, I come back stronger. There’s no doubt I’m going to walk out of here, working as hard as ever and getting back to where I was. That’s my job.”

Hussain: England shrink when Stokes can’t bowl

Stokes’ injury has raised concerns about whether he is fit enough to perform his duties as an all-rounder.

“Because he’s a captain and an all-rounder, he’s very important for this team, but England are diminished when Stokes can’t play and when he misses Test matches,” Nasser Hussain told Sky Sports News earlier this month.

“I think there had to be a conversation in this Test match about him playing in the 37th when he’s just coming back from a serious hamstring injury.

“Hamstring injuries at this age (33) are recurring and you need him to be fit next summer and winter.

“At some point somebody just needs to tap him on the shoulder and say, ‘Look, I think you’ve done your part now. I think it’s up to somebody else to just carry a load.’

“The problem with England is that their other seamers were already struggling and their speeds were dropping.

“(Brydon) Carse was carrying niggles, (Gus) Atkinson’s speed was down and (Matthew) Potts was playing his first game of the series.”

Stokes misses start to England’s big year

England will play six Test matches at home before heading to Australia for the Ashes, with Stokes set to miss the start of an important year for England.

The England skipper missed three Tests against Sri Lanka at home this year and one in Pakistan after tearing his hamstring playing for the Northern Superchargers in The Hundred.

One-off home Test in Zimbabwe (May)

• Thursday 22 May – Sunday 25 May (11am) – Trent Bridge, Nottingham

India Home Test Series (June-July)

• First test: Friday 20 June-Tuesday 24 June (11am) – Headingley, Leeds
• Second test: Wednesday 2nd July – Sunday 6th July (11am) – Edgbaston, Birmingham
• Third test: Thursday 10 July-Monday 14 July (11am) – Lord’s, London
• Fourth test: Wednesday 23 July to Sunday 7 July (11am) – Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester
• Fifth test: Thursday 31 July-Monday 4 August (11am) – The Kia Oval, London

The Ashes in Australia (November 2025-January 2026)

• First test: Friday 21 November – Tuesday 25 June (2.30pm) – Optus Stadium, Perth
• Second test: Thursday 4 December – Monday 8 December (4.30pm) – The Gabba, Brisbane
• Third test: Wednesday 17 December to Sunday 21 December (12pm) – Adelaide Oval, Adelaide
• Fourth test: Thursday 25 December to Monday 29 December (11.30pm) – Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne
• Fifth test: Sunday January 4-Thursday January 8 (11.30pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

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