England's Ben Stokes undergoes surgery after sustaining hamstring injury
What's the story
England's Test cricket captain Ben Stokes recently announced that he has undergone surgery for a hamstring injury.
The 33-year-old all-rounder injured his left hamstring during the Hamilton Test against Zealand last year.
After the operation, Stokes shared a picture on Instagram of him in a car with a leg brace, captioning it "Bionic Man for a while."
Here are further details.
Recovery journey
Stokes expected to recover in three months
Stokes was forced to retire mid-over during the Hamilton Test, bringing an early end to his involvement in the match.
This isn't the first time he has faced such an issue, as he had missed four consecutive Tests due to a similar hamstring tear he suffered while featuring in The Hundred in August.
The recovery period post-surgery is expected to be three months.
Schedule changes
Omission from upcoming events
Due to his injury, Stokes has been left out of England's squad for the impending ICC Champions Trophy.
However, with no Test matches scheduled until May this year, he has plenty of time to recover completely. Notably, India will travel to England for a five-match Test series later this year.
Despite the setback, Stokes is optimistic about his return to the field and future performances.
Unwavering spirit
Determination to return stronger post-injury
However, Stokes has made it clear that he will return stronger after this setback.
In an interview with BBC Sport, he had said, "It's just one of those unfortunate things. I ain't holding back." He had added, "Every time you walk out on the field you're at risk of injury. You can't play for anything in this game."
Notably, Stokes has been the nucleus of England's Bazball era.