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Ben Stokes to take an indefinite break from all cricket with immediate effect (update #86)

Ben Stokes' return to action will not come at the Indian Premier League later this month and it remains doubtful whether he will take part in the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup.

The 30-year-old will not be fulfilling the remainder of his £1.4million contract with Rajasthan Royals when the IPL, which was postponed earlier this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, resumes in the United Arab Emirates from September 19.

Whether he does travel to Dubai to feature in England's attempts to unite both global white-ball belts next month is unclear, although sources close to Stokes say 'he is not even thinking about cricket at the moment'.

The all-rounder is taking an indefinite period off to protect his mental well-being and rest a fractured finger operated on earlier this summer.

With squads required to be submitted to the ICC by next Friday, England's selectors will pick a 15-man group plus three reserves this weekend. An announcement is expected next Thursday, on the eve of the final Test match vs India in Manchester.

As changes can be made freely up until October 10, seven days before the tournament's group stage begins, Chris Silverwood could provisionally name the 2019 World Cup-winning star within that 18.

However, given the circumstances, the ECB may be unwilling to place any undue pressure on their talismanic all-rounder, having said they would give him 'all the time he needs' when he announced his break on July 30.

Typical of Stokes, he returned ahead of schedule to meet the calls of both Durham and England when Covid decimated the availability of each earlier this summer.

He subsequently led his country to a 3-0 whitewash over Pakistan in captaining the one-day team for the first time.

However, he continued to experience discomfort in his finger and it was announced he would miss the entire India Test series following two appearances for Northern Superchargers in the Hundred.

Meanwhile, the ICC are hopeful that crowds will be permitted at the October tournament. The world governing body are awaiting confirmation from the government in the UAE.

Daily Mail
 
Don't think he is gonna play the meaningless World T20 either. But think he should be back for the Ashes, there shouldn't be any thought on skipping the Ashes for him.
 
The skipping of the IPL gives this mental health break a lot more credibility than it did.
 
Zeshan547 said:
Than he might as well retire. Thankfully Indo-Pak players are way more tough mentally.
Click to expand...

Thankfully not everyone is as uneducated and ignorant on the topic of mental health as you.
 
Zeshan547 said:
Than he might as well retire. Thankfully Indo-Pak players are way more tough mentally.
Click to expand...

A very dear friend of mine is currently residing in a psychiatric hospital, due to factors including pandemic isolation and work stress, so comments about being “tough mentally” strike me as ignorant of mental health issues.
 
England will leave a decision over Ben Stokes' involvement in the T20 World Cup as late as possible, says head coach Chris Silverwood.

All-rounder Stokes has missed the Test series against India after announcing he would take an "indefinite break" from cricket for his mental wellbeing.

England will name their squad for the World Cup on Thursday.
"I'll be putting no pressure on him or rushing him, and whatever support he needs he will get," said Silverwood.
The World Cup in the United Arab Emirates and Oman runs from 17 October to 14 November. England play their first game against West Indies on 23 October.
They could make changes to their squad after it is named, but are unlikely to do so unless there are injuries.
The squad for the Ashes series in Australia, which starts on 8 December, is expected to be named in late September.
England are already without fast bowler Jofra Archer, who will be out until next year with an elbow injury.
Stokes, 30, said in July he was taking "an indefinite break from all cricket" to prioritise his mental wellbeing and rest his left index finger, which he broke playing for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League in April.
Although Stokes has not spoken to Silverwood, he has had discussions with other members of the England set-up.
"I will give him as much space as I can, but there are people talking to him," said Silverwood.
"My only concern is for him. I just want to make sure he's OK. Once we've got to that, the rest of the questions will come."
 
I just wish him well, a very special talent and hopefully comes back stronger.
Those critical of him should remember that it's bot easy to walk away from all the fame and money.
 
Ben Stokes has undergone surgery for the second time on his broken index finger in his bid to once again play cricket pain free.

And while the all rounder has a long road of rehab ahead of him, the early indication is that this operation has been a huge success.

Stokes remains on leave from the game to look after both his physical and mental well-being following the toll that cricket and life had taken on him.

But the news that the broken finger will be able to get to a far better place that it has been in up to now is a giant relief for Stokes.

Leeds based consultant Doug Campbell, who also performed the first surgery back in April, took the screws out of Stokes’ healed finger on Monday and resolved the scar tissue that had been causing the agonising pain around his tendons and ligaments.

Stokes had tried to come back from the initial injury in the summer and even captained England’s one day side in a covid emergency against Pakistan, but was in searing pain throughout.

Soon after that series, Stokes confirmed his break away from the game to get himself better, and this is a positive step in that direction.

It means that the 30-year-old can once again contemplate performing at the highest level without worrying about the chronic pain he was in which will be a big positive for his teams whenever he does eventually get back to playing.

That is still a way off though and with the England squad for the Ashes set to be named within the next week, it is not expected to feature the Durham man in the list.

Stokes originally broke his left index finger back in April in his opening match of the IPL for Rajasthan Royals when taking a catch in the deep.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/cricket/ben-stokes-england-injury-return-25154402
 
Very nice of Stokes to get himself operated now to be ready for the next edition of IPL and skip meaningless tours like the Ashes.
 
AMSS said:
Very nice of Stokes to get himself operated now to be ready for the next edition of IPL and skip meaningless tours like the Ashes.
Click to expand...

I have understood this, criticism where it is due gets value.

Anything that happens one or two months either side of the IPL schedule gets blamed on the IPL. Whether it is team selection, match cancellations, players injured or getting married or mental fatigue or whatever. Just an observation
 
I hope he decides to take time off till after India's last test in England scheduled for next year. He is gonna be the difference between a historical win or a drawn series.
 
Ben Stokes Injury Update

England all-rounder Ben Stokes has undergone a second operation on Monday 4th Oct to address ongoing issues with the finger that he injured in the IPL in April.

Stokes had two screws and scar tissue removed from the index finger of his left hand.

He will now undergo an intensive period of rehabilitation for the next four weeks under the supervision of the ECB's medical team.
 
England have confirmed Ben Stokes will miss the Ashes tour to Australia after omitting the all-rounder from their 17-man squad.

Stokes, who has not featured in Test cricket since England's tour of India in March, is currently taking an 'indefinite' break from the game to focus on his mental health and recover from a finger injury.

Fellow all-rounder Sam Curran has also been left out after a scan revealed a stress fracture in his lower back, but seamer Stuart Broad is included as he continues his recovery from a torn calf.
 
Ben Stokes added to Ashes Squad

Durham all-rounder Ben Stokes has been added to the England Men's Test squad for the Ashes tour of Australia.

Stokes, who has been given the all-clear by his consultant and the ECB medical team to resume training following his second operation on a fractured left index finger, will depart with the Test specialists and the Lions on 4 November.

The 30-year-old is ready to return to competitive cricket following his break from the game at the end of July to prioritise his mental wellbeing.

“I had a break to prioritise my mental wellbeing and I got my finger sorted” said Stokes.

“I am looking forward to seeing my mates and being on the field with them. I am ready for Australia.”

Managing Director of England Men's Cricket, Ashley Giles, added:

"Following a very successful operation on his finger and several conversations over the last few weeks between Ben and I, our medical staff and his management team, Ben called me to say he was ready to return to cricket and was excited about the prospect of playing a significant role in the Ashes series.

"Time and time again, Ben has demonstrated how important he is to the England team and having him available for the Ashes series is excellent news for all of us and, in particular, Chris (Silverwood), Joe (Root) and the rest of the players.

"Having not played for some time, we will move forward cautiously over the next few weeks to ensure he is fully prepared across all facets of his game.

"Ahead of a very busy period of cricket, we continue to remain mindful of the stresses on all our personnel, and our primary focus continues to be the wellbeing of all of our players and support staff."

England Men's Test Squad - Ashes Tour of Australia 2021-22:

Joe Root (Yorkshire) Captain
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Dom Bess (Yorkshire)
Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire)
Rory Burns (Surrey)
Jos Buttler (Lancashire)
Zak Crawley (Kent)
Haseeb Hameed (Nottinghamshire)
Dan Lawrence (Essex)
Jack Leach (Somerset)
Dawid Malan (Yorkshire)
Craig Overton (Somerset)
Ollie Pope (Surrey)
Ollie Robinson (Sussex)
Ben Stokes (Durham)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)
Mark Wood (Durham)

England's Ashes tour of Australia 2021-22 Itinerary (subject to change):

November 2021
4 November:
Test specialists and Lions depart.

December 2021

8-12 December:
1st Test, Australia v England, Gabba, Brisbane

16-20 December:
2nd Test, Australia v England (D/N), Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

26-30 December:
3rd Test, Australia v England, MCG, Melbourne

January 2022

5-9 January:
4th Test, Australia v England, SCG, Sydney

14-18 January:
5th Test, Australia v England, Optus Stadium, Perth
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Ho that changes the whole complexion of the Ashes. It was going to be a 5-0 but not that sure now. Stokes and Root can win it for England!

It will be a privilege to watch the two best cricketers (Smith and Stokes) in the same match, going at each other.
 
Always knew it.

He's too good of a player to retire without having a significant contribution in an Ashes series in Australia. Always knew he would be desperate not to miss this Ashes too after he missed the last one due to the brawl.
 
For the first test I will have

Burns
Hameed
Malan
Root
Stokes
Pope
Buttler
Robinson
Wood
Broad
Leach
 
5-0 or 4-0 Aussies might become 4-1 or 3-1 with stokes playing
 
Great news for Ben and for England. :)

Also good for the upcoming series and for the wider game of cricket that he is coming back.
 
This is absolutely marvellous news for England and has made the Ashes suddenly a bit interesting. More importantly, I'm delighted to see that Stokes will be back playing cricket again.
 
Nov 29 (Reuters) - England's Ben Stokes feared it "might be the end" after he almost choked on a tablet while alone in his hotel room ahead of the Ashes.

The all-rounder, writing in a column for the Daily Mirror, said the tablet had gone down the wrong way and got stuck in his windpipe.

"Until it actually came out, I thought this might be the end," he added. "I was on my own in my room and I couldn't breathe as it became lodged and started to dissolve. It felt like my mouth was on fire.

"Without going into too much detail I have never seen as much saliva as I did on Sunday morning, it was a genuinely frightening experience."

Stokes took an indefinite break from cricket in July to focus on his mental health while also recovering from a second operation on a broken finger, and was a late addition to England's squad for the tour of Australia.

The 30-year-old said the finger injury was coming along really well and that he was in a good place mentally.

However, he was given another scare when he took a ball to his forearm during practice that left him in excruciating pain.

"I couldn't lift it ... I thought it was broken," Stokes added. "Thankfully the pain and reaction settled down once I was back in the dressing room and the physios could be sure it wasn't actually a break.

"It was only after I got back to my hotel room that I took stock of what a day I'd had. The adrenaline had worn off and I was exhausted. Happy that I'm here to tell the tale, but hoping that my pre-test dramas are now over."

The five-test series is due to begin in Brisbane on Dec. 8. Australia retained the Ashes in 2019 after a 2-2 draw in England.
 
Robert said:
I reckon 1-3 to the home side. We have a good chance in the pink ball test and Root will score 200 somewhere to draw a game.
Click to expand...

1-3 to Australia wouldn't even be the worst result for England. We have had many worse batterings in Australia. Quite a few 5-0s and 4-0s. It's been well over a decade since we won a Test match Down Under. About time the loyal travelling fans were given something to celebrate. Chris Woakes will be fancying that pink ball scenario under lights.
 
Ben Stokes took two wickets on his return to action as England finally began their last Ashes warm-up match against England Lions in Brisbane.

The all-rounder dismissed Zak Crawley for 45 and Chris Woakes for 13 in claiming 2-31 from 10 overs.

It was Stokes' first appearance since he took a break from cricket in July to protect his mental wellbeing.

The Lions closed on 226-4 at the Ian Healy Oval, the first two days of the four-day match having been washed out.

Alex Lees made 37, James Bracey 34 and Tom Abell 32 - all retired hurt to allow others batting practice - while England captain Joe Root and Liam Norwell took a wicket apiece.

Stokes was part of the England side for the opening three-day tour game, but did not take to the field as only 29 overs were possible because of rain.

The five-Test Ashes series against Australia begins on Wednesday at the Gabba.
 
Absolutely brilliant news for England and for the sport of cricket that Ben is Back!
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">4️⃣2️⃣ runs in 56 balls today for <a href="https://twitter.com/benstokes38?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@benstokes38</a> before retiring not out &#55357;&#56845;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ashes?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ashes</a> <a href="https://t.co/0FAaYSSdKU">pic.twitter.com/0FAaYSSdKU</a></p>— England Cricket (@englandcricket) <a href="https://twitter.com/englandcricket/status/1466693690697650180?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
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England star Ben Stokes has bowled through gritted teeth in an effort to revive his side’s Ashes hopes despite the all-rounder being in clear discomfort.

Stokes pulled up lame in the first session and was barely sighted afterwards, staying away from bowling responsibilities and limping around heading into tea.

“I think he’s done a bit more of a tweak ... so that’s a big blow for England. A huge blow,” Shane Warne said on Fox Cricket.

Sport’s greatest rivalry is just around the corner and you can catch the Ashes live and ad-break free during play. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

While the English camp insisted there was no injury concern for Stokes, vision of the 30-year-old “grimacing” while moving appeared to suggest otherwise.

“They’re pulling the wool over our eyes there or trying to by saying no injury,” Allan Border said during the tea break.

“If there’s no injury then he’s bowling in that session for sure because he’s a dangerous man with the ball in his hands.

“He’s not moving freely at all so I’d say he’s still got that soreness in that left knee. Whether that stiffens up overnight or releases and he’s ok tomorrow, time will tell.”

Still, Stokes eventually willed himself back to bowling, coming off what appeared to be a shorter run up in an effort to prevent further injury.

“He’s a little bit ginger on that front foot,” Kerry O’Keeffe noted as Travis Head hit Stokes for back-to-back fours early in the over.

“He’s not quite there, Ben Stokes.”

Isa Guha agreed, adding, “There’s no rhythm there, he’s coming through the crease and then he’s stopping.

“When you’re not sure about where you’re landing or how much pressure is going through that front leg you can end up bowling short.”

While Stokes conceded a couple of boundaries in his over, Warne lauded him for willing himself to the line.

“He’s just giving it everything because now is the moment for England to get back in the game,” he said.

“He knows now is the moment, Joe Root knows it, the Aussie team know it, everyone knows it so Stokes is just using his big heart and pure will to try and have a bowl.

“He’s on painkillers and he’s just trying to get through it. You’ve got to admire this from Ben Stokes.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...d/news-story/4086831af15b0627f3c7f8806565f119
 
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