England Test Captain Ben Stokes to Undergo Knee Surgery Post World Cup

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All-Rounder Stokes Aims for Recovery Ahead of Upcoming India Test Series

England Test captain Ben Stokes has announced that he will undergo surgery to address a persistent knee issue following the conclusion of the World Cup in India. Stokes, the 32-year-old all-rounder, has been battling this long-term knee problem, preventing him from bowling during the World Cup and restricting his role to that of a batter.

Despite his knee woes, Stokes remains hopeful and determined to regain his fitness before England’s upcoming five-match Test series against India, commencing on 25 January.

Stokes expressed his thoughts on the timing of the surgery, stating, “There was a lot of time put into deciding when to get it done. Obviously, the India Test series, which we start at the end of January, I should be fine to go by then.”

Following their World Cup campaign, England is scheduled to play Australia on Saturday, with their final match against Pakistan on 11 November. The team will then head to the United Arab Emirates for a practice camp before the India series, allowing Stokes approximately eight weeks to recover and join the squad.

While Stokes has not disclosed the specific nature of his knee injury, he affirmed that he does not consider it a career-threatening issue. He emphasized his confidence in the medical professionals handling his surgery, stating, “I’ll switch off and let the surgeon do what he does best, which is fix knees.”

BREAKING: England Test Captain Ben Stokes is set to have knee surgery following the Cricket World Cup 🚨 pic.twitter.com/EDcHexsCSi

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 3, 2023

Stokes made a surprising return to England’s one-day international squad to participate in the World Cup defense, despite ongoing knee problems. He had initially retired from one-day internationals but reversed his decision, expressing confidence in a plan to address his knee issues.

The knee problems have prevented him from bowling since July, which has posed challenges for England in balancing their Test and 50-over teams. Stokes expressed optimism that the surgery would enable him to resume his all-rounder role in the future.

“It’s been a big hindrance on me and affected what I can do for the team. Obviously, bowling is what I want to be doing. You’d hope it means that I can get back to doing what I’ve been known for, which is playing a role as a batter and playing a role as a bowler as well,” Stokes said.

Regarding England’s performance in the World Cup, which saw them facing five defeats in six matches, Stokes acknowledged the challenging situation, stating, “We’ve had a disastrous World Cup, and there’s no point sugar-coating that because it’s the truth.” However, he emphasized that the team still had much to play for, particularly the pride of representing their nation.

The upcoming match against old rivals Australia is of significant importance, with England having drawn the Ashes series against them earlier this summer.