Ben Stokes vows to return fitter than ever post-surgery
What's the story
England's Test captain Ben Stokes has vowed to make a strong return for England's Test summer.
The promise comes after a four-month recovery following his hamstring surgery.
The 33-year-old Durham all-rounder has been out of action since December after getting injured during the final Test against hosts New Zealand.
He underwent surgery in January and is now gearing up for his return to competitive cricket.
Injury saga
Stokes's injury history and recovery process
The hamstring injury that ruled Stokes out was a recurrence from a previous incident last August while playing in The Hundred for the Superchargers.
The latest setback has kept him out of four consecutive Test matches, against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
In an exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Stokes shared his determination to return fitter than ever before.
He said, "I always work hard... I know I'm going to be in a position when I am back on the field."
Recovery reflections
Stokes reflects on his rehabilitation journey
Reflecting on his previous recovery, Stokes said it was mentally and physically taxing. He had to fast-track certain stages due to time constraints, which contributed to the relapse.
"It was a tough old slog and was very tiring and taxing," he said.
However, now he is seizing this opportunity to focus entirely on his fitness for a successful return.
Training regimen
Stokes's training routine and mental preparation
Stokes has been slowly moving from walking to running, and then into bowling as part of his recovery.
He said this time around it hasn't been as physically or mentally demanding.
"This time around I had a lot longer to be able to slowly drip feed in bits of progression," he explained, adding that the current period has been handled better than the first one.
Future fixtures
Stokes prepares for England's upcoming Test matches
England's cricket calendar features a one-off Test against Zimbabwe on May 22 and a five-Test series against India from June 20 to August 4.
The summer will conclude with the series against India, and later in the year, England will face Australia in the Ashes series.
Stokes said he is looking forward to playing again this summer.
He said: "I'm not fully through that yet but we're at the back end of the four-month period."