England cricket captain Ben Stokes has been sidelined for at least three months after sustaining a torn hamstring during the Test series against New Zealand. The injury, confirmed through post-tour assessments, occurred during the third Test in Hamilton, marking a significant setback for the all-rounder and the team.
The 33-year-old skipper is set to undergo surgery in January, with hopes that his Test career remains largely unaffected. England’s next red-ball assignment isn’t until late May 2025, when they host Zimbabwe for a one-off Test at Trent Bridge. Despite the injury, Stokes expressed determination to return stronger, posting on X, “Something else to overcome … go on then! I have got so much more left in this tank and so much more blood, sweat, and tears to go through for my team and this shirt.”
Stokes has already been excluded from England’s squad for the ICC Champions Trophy in February. This marks the second hamstring injury he has faced in 2024, having previously been carried off during England’s Hundred competition. That earlier injury ruled him out of the home Test series against Sri Lanka and the first Test of the Pakistan tour.
England currently sit sixth in the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-2025 standings, with 43.18% of possible points in 22 Test matches, making them ineligible for the Final at Lord’s next year. Stokes has been a standout performer in the ongoing WTC cycle, scoring 1,007 runs in 18 Tests at an average of 33.56, with a century and seven fifties. He has also taken 16 wickets at an average of 35.50.
Despite his injury, Stokes played a pivotal role in England’s 2-1 series victory over New Zealand—their first Test series win in the country since 2008. Over the three-match series, he scored 158 runs at an average of 52.66, including a top score of 80, and took seven wickets.