Decoding the timeline of Ben Stokes's knee issues
England's Test skipper Ben Stokes is determined to get rid of his knee issues in the potential six-month break from cricket following the fifth Ashes 2023 Test. England's next Test series is slated to take place in January 2024 and Stokes wants to use this gap to regain his bowling fitness. Here we decode the timeline of his knee injuries.
Why does this story matter?
Stokes is one of the finest all-rounders going around, having displayed several match-winning performances both with the bat and the ball. However, the knee issues have restricted his bowling duties in recent years. The same has hampered his effectiveness as an all-rounder and the balance of the side. He did not bowl a single over in the third and fourth Ashes 2023 Tests.
Timeline of his injuries
Stokes, who made his England debut in 2011, had knee issues right from the start of his career. He first underwent a knee surgery in May 2016 after getting ruled out midway through the home Test series against Sri Lanka. The all-rounder had then revealed that he has been facing knee issues for the "last two-three years" which he had managed until then.
Struggles in 2017
Stokes suffered another knee injury exactly one year after his surgery during the home ODI series opener against South Africa. Though he played the following game, the all-rounder had bowled just three overs. "It's just the bowling that's getting affected by my knee," he had said. "If I feel the knee I don't feel I'm running through the crease properly."
Recurrence of his injury
Stokes suffered a recurrence of his knee issues in the 2019 away Test series against New Zealand. He was visibly in discomfort while bowling on Day 1 of the second Test. The all-rounder went on to bowl 27 overs in the game though he went wicket-less. However, in terms of all-round fitness, Stokes reckons he was at his best in 2019-2020.
Return to cricket
The 2021-22 Ashes series in Australia marked Stokes's return to international cricket following a 'mental-health break.' In the series opener, he suffered a knee injury while fielding near the boundaries. Though the all-rounder played all five Tests, he could not contribute a lot with the ball. The 32-year-old did not bowl in four of the nine innings.
Trouble reignited in the 2023 New Zealand series
Stokes's knee troubles ignited in the 2023 Test series in New Zealand. He could bowl just two overs in the second and final Test. In the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL), he played just two games for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and that too as a specialist batter. He had suffered a toe injury midway through the competition.
Will not bowl in Ashes finale
Stokes has confirmed that he will not bowl in the fifth and final Ashes 2023 Test, starting on July 27 at The Oval. The all-rounder also admitted that he might undergo another surgery to get rid of his knee problems in the six-month break following The Ashes. "It's something I obviously want to get sorted," he said ahead of the final game.
A look at his overall Test record
In 96 Tests, Stokes has raced to 6,072 runs at 36.57 with the help of 13 centuries and 30 fifties. He owns a ton and two fifties in the ongoing series as well with his tally reading 360 runs at 51.43. With the ball, he has scalped 197 wickets at 32.07. The tally includes four five-wicket hauls.
