Ben Stokes, the legendary all-rounder and captain of the England Test side, is currently recuperating following hamstring surgery. Consequently he has opted out of his County Championship’s early season fixtures. The 33-year-old cricketer has been sidelined since December when he tore his left hamstring for the second time in five months. He had surgery this past spring. Even with his intense rehab regimen, he definitely won’t be back for the season opener on Friday.
Stokes’s absence from the County Championship is a loss to Durham, but more importantly, to the long-term interests of the England national team. He remains a central figure in their cricketing machinations. Ryan Campbell, head coach of Durham, expressed concern at Stokes’s recovery schedule. He said he doesn’t anticipate seeing him play a ton in the beginning of the season.
“My expectation is that it’ll be zero [early-season appearances] – anything else is an added bonus.” – Ryan Campbell
Campbell acknowledged the challenges that Stokes and his fellow England international teammate Brydon Carse are currently facing. Carse meanwhile is recovering from a broken toe. He underlined the need for both returning players to get themselves fully fit before the start of some important home Test matches.
“They’re coming back from serious injuries. The facts are they need to get up and running by the time the Test matches start.” – Ryan Campbell
Stokes has struggled with a procession of injuries that have kept him away from all forms of competitive cricket since December. One of the most serious problems was with cuts and blisters on his left foot, causing him to withdraw from the England squad. Regardless of these injuries, Campbell noted that Stokes had an iconic work ethic, a fighter’s mindset and tenacity as he battled through rehab.
“He’s here nearly every single day working his butt off,” – Ryan Campbell
“He’s such a hard-working bloke. He’ll do whatever it takes to be up and running for England.” – Ryan Campbell
England have a tough year to come at Test level with some pivotal matches coming up. Stokes’s fitness will be key to whatever the team hopes to achieve. It is his leadership as much as his experience that makes him an ideal candidate to take over from Jos Buttler as England’s white-ball captain. This is all dependent on him showing that he’s fit.
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