England Test captain Ben Stokes has undergone facial surgery after suffering an injury during a training session with county side Durham. The all-rounder was accidentally struck by a cricket ball while observing a net session, sustaining damage to his cheekbone, nose and eye.
Despite the painful blow, Stokes has remained upbeat. Sharing a photo of his bruised face from his hospital bed, he joked, “You should see the state of the cricket ball.” After undergoing eye surgery, he posted another update confirming that the procedure had gone smoothly, maintaining his trademark humour while keeping fans informed about his recovery.
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The ball that hit Stokes was struck by 18-year-old Robbie Bowman. Durham head coach Ryan Campbell revealed that Stokes immediately took responsibility for the incident.
“Stokesy said he broke the No.1 rule of being a coach in the nets, never turn your back on the batter,” Campbell told The Sun. “Robbie hit the ball hard. Players shouted out a warning but Stokesy ended up turning his head towards the ball.”
Campbell also highlighted Stokes’ character, revealing that the England captain personally called Bowman from the hospital to reassure him.
“I’ll tell you this because Stokesy never would. He phoned Robbie Bowman from his hospital bed and told him not to worry. He knew Robbie would have been beside himself, but Ben said it was his fault. That sums up the sort of bloke Stokesy is,” Campbell added.
While the timeline for his return remains uncertain, there is optimism that Stokes could feature in the County Championship before England’s three-Test series against New Zealand starting June 4. He is also continuing his recovery from an adductor injury sustained during the final Ashes Test against Australia.
