The all-rounder missed the Champions Trophy 2025 due to a hamstring injury.
Ben Stokes, Test skipper of England, might miss some rounds of the county season. The star English all-rounder tore his hamstring during the third Test against New Zealand in December 2024. Previously, he missed England’s Champions Trophy campaign, the Tests against Sri Lanka at home and the opening Test on the Pakistan tour due to the same issue.
After recovery, he has recently made a comeback and joined his Durham teammates in the pre-county season. His county coach Ryan Campbell stated that he is “working his butt off” to regain his match fitness for the packed Test season ahead while praising him for his unmatched dedication. The busy Test schedule of England also includes a five-match Test series against India at home and the Ashes tour in Australia.
“What we know about Stokesy is that he’s here nearly every single day working his butt off. The guy had hamstring surgery and was, the next day, lifting weights, which I couldn’t believe. He sets the bar, wherever he is”, said Campbell.
He was seen doing sprints and bowling a few overs from a shorter run-up. Coach Campbell hopes for an early recovery of Stokes so that he could play a few matches for Durham before donning the England whites.
“He’s such a hard-working bloke and he’ll do whatever it takes to be up and running for England, which is really exciting for England fans. For Durham fans, if he happens to play a game or two along the way, great”, he added.
Alongside Stokes, fellow Durham pacers Mark Wood and Brydon Carse are also being examined on their fitness. If declared fit, both seamers are set to feature in the home Test series against India. Though chances are currently low for Wood’s return to England’s red-ball circuit after going through a knee surgery in early March.
Carse is likely to be back after sustaining a toe injury which ruled him out of the Champions Trophy and the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, Coach Campbell has emphasised him as “England’s no. one priority” and explained his importance in England’s red-ball squad.
“I think Brydon is probably the number one priority for England right now. With what he’s shown in Test cricket, he’s born for that sort of stuff. There’s 11 Tests over the summer and winter, and I think he’s going to be number one on England’s list to make sure that he’s ready to go for that”, stressed Campbell.
Another England pacer Jofra Archer is set to return in the Test team. Though he had not played a Test match since 2021 but has recently resumed his bowling for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2025.
