Ben Stokes to undergo knee surgery after World Cup to play a big role in test series against India
England all-rounder Ben Stokes is set to undergo surgery on his troublesome left knee at the end of the Cricket World Cup. The troubling injury has kept him out of bowling for more than year and also it has hampered his performances overall.
Stokes has been struggling with the problem for at least 18 months. Last time Stokes bowled in an ODI was back at Chester-le-Street in July 2022 against South Africa. His body has been unable to cope with the rigours of bowling thus he has played the role of a batter in the team.
After the conclusion of Ashes 2023, Stokes was expected to go through this much needed operation. However, he decided to reverse the decision of his ODI retirement to participate in ODI World Cup 2023.
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However, with England on the verge of elimination at the end of the group stage, Stokes has now confirmed that he will undergo the surgery before the end of November.
The all-rounder is hopeful that he will be ready to lead England’s Test tour of India in January, with the first Test in Hyderabad commencing on January 25th.
Stokes’ decision to undergo surgery has been welcomed by former England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan, who believes that it is the right thing to do for the player’s long-term health and career.
“It’s clearly a decision that he has reflected on for a long time,” Morgan told Sky Sports. “His knee has been nowhere near its best and I’m pretty sure it’s the reason he hasn’t been able to bowl as much as he would have liked for a long period of time.
“This now will allow him a period of time and hopefully he’ll rehabilitate as well as he can and be fit to come here [India] in January.”
Stokes is a vital member of the England Test team, and his absence would be a major blow to their hopes of success in India. However, the all-rounder has assured fans that he is confident of being fit for the tour, and that he is determined to return to full fitness and help England regain their position as the world’s number one Test side.
“I am having surgery after the World Cup,” Stokes said on the eve of England’s clash with Australia. “I will be fine for the Test series in India, hopefully.”
England’s World Cup campaign has been a major disappointment, with the defending champions now find themselves in a precious situation where their Champions Trophy 2023 qualification hope hangs with a thread. However, Stokes has insisted that the team will continue to fight until the very end, and that they are determined to finish the tournament on a high.
“We’ve had a disastrous World Cup and there’s no point sugar-coating that because it’s the truth,” Stokes said. “But we know these last three games, for us, we’ve got a lot to play for.
“I think the biggest thing that we’ve got to play for is obviously the pride of what it is to put the Three Lions on your chest, walking out on to the field every time is a very special occasion and something that we value very highly.”
