England’s Test captain Ben Stokes has been sidelined from all forms of cricket for at least three months after tearing his left hamstring during the third Test against New Zealand in Hamilton. Despite his injury, England managed to secure a 2-1 series victory.  

This setback marks another chapter in a challenging period for Stokes, who has battled a series of long-term injuries over the past year. Earlier this week, his exclusion from England's 15-man squad for the 2024 Champions Trophy was confirmed, with the injury being a key factor. His last appearance in ODI cricket was during the 2023 World Cup.  

Following the 2023 ODI World Cup, Stokes underwent knee surgery in October, which required a lengthy rehabilitation period. During the World Cup, his participation was limited by fitness issues. In August 2024, a torn hamstring ruled him out for the remainder of the English summer.  

Although he made a return to international cricket, Stokes carefully managed his bowling workload. He also chose to skip the 2024 IPL, opting not to enter the auction to focus on his fitness.  

Before the Hamilton Test, Stokes had expressed optimism about his physical condition. Speaking about his fitness, he said, “I have to work so much harder on the physical side of the job to allow me to go out and do my job, but I got a good amount of overs in during the last two games and I am more confident about getting through a lot of spells in a day."  

“That is where I got to before I pulled my hamstring. I bowled nice in the summer, had a setback but now feel out of that and not worrying about anything else happening again. As you get older you think about your body a bit more, but I work harder because I have to,” he added.   

Unfortunately, after bowling several overs during the Test match, Stokes re-injured himself and now faces another extended recovery period. He is set to miss next year’s Hundred competition, scheduled to begin in 2025.