Ben Stokes to miss county season start after training accident
What's the story
England's Test captain Ben Stokes will miss the first month of the county season as he recovers from facial injuries sustained in a training accident. The incident occurred last month when he was struck by a ball hit by academy player Robbie Bowman during practice at Chester-le-Street. Stokes suffered a broken cheekbone along with cuts and bruises in the incident.
Rehabilitation process
Stokes's surgery successful but return delayed
Stokes underwent surgery for his injuries, which he declared a success on social media. However, the rehabilitation process has delayed his return to action. The England captain was initially hoping to make a comeback against Kent in the first round of County Championship fixtures next week. But now, it seems likely that he will miss at least the first four matches of the summer season.
Future plans
Ryan Campbell confirms Stokes misses opener
Durham coach Ryan Campbell confirmed that Stokes won't be playing in the first game of the season. He said, "He was going to play the first game, he's been training so hard to be ready. But he won't play in that obviously, we have to wait for the specialists to clear him." Campbell added that while it was an accidental bump, they are now looking at a revised schedule for Stokes's return.
Recovery timeline
Stokes to play Worcestershire and Kent
Campbell said Stokes is scheduled to play against Worcestershire and Kent in May, ahead of the New Zealand Test series. He added that Stokes has to recover from his facial injuries and then build up again for the long summer ahead. Durham coach also stressed on how much worse the incident could have been if it had hit Stokes in the eye.
Upcoming tournaments
Stokes agreed to play One-Day Cup
Campbell also revealed that Stokes has agreed to play in this season's One-Day Cup, despite opting out of The Hundred. Stokes hasn't played a List A match since the 2023 World Cup but plans to use the tournament as a fitness-building exercise for his second Test assignment of the summer against Pakistan.