England Test captain Ben Stokes requires surgery on a torn left hamstring and has been ruled out of all cricket for at least three months.
Ben Stokes, 33, injured his hamstring while bowling on day three of the third Test against New Zealand earlier this month.
This is Stokes’ second left hamstring tear this year, having injured it in The Hundred in August.
England announced that Durham all-rounder Stokes will undergo surgery in January.
“Something else to overcome – go on then,” Stokes posted on X. “I’ve 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. There’s a reason I have a phoenix permanently inked on my body.”
Stokes was excluded from England’s squads for the white-ball tour of India and the Champions Trophy due to the injury.
He had planned to play for MI Cape Town in the SA20, South Africa’s franchise T20 league, in January but will now miss the tournament.
England’s next Test is against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in May.
Stokes aims to be fit for the County Championship’s first round, with Durham facing Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on 4 April, depending on his recovery.
Stokes opted out of the 2025 Indian Premier League auction to prolong his England career.
Stokes bowled 36.2 overs in the third-Test defeat in Hamilton, his highest in a match since June 2022. He bowled 66.1 overs in the series, which England won 2-1, his most as captain.
England assistant coach Marcus Trescothick suggested managing Stokes’ bowling workload after his hamstring injury. However, Stokes said he will not “hold back” with his bowling after returning from this setback.
Stokes had surgery on a long-term left knee problem a year ago, which affected his bowling throughout 2023.
He missed three Tests against Sri Lanka at home and one in Pakistan after tearing his hamstring playing for Northern Superchargers.
Stokes admitted getting fit for the final two Tests in Pakistan took a mental toll but seemed to be recovering well in New Zealand before the hamstring injury recurred.
England’s Test side faces a crucial year in 2025, with five Tests at home against India in the summer before attempting to regain the Ashes in Australia in the winter.
