Ben Stokes hits back at journalist's criticism amid injury setback

England Test captain Ben Stokes lashed out at journalist accused him of prioritising The Hundred over County Cricket. Recently, Stokes was ruled out of entire English Summer due to hamstring injury

Journalist Scott Wilson criticized Stokes for playing in The Hundred instead of focusing on County Championship matches. Wilson described the situation as a "circus" and questioned why Stokes was allowed to participate in The Hundred while missing important County games.

"So Ben Stokes isn't allowed to play any county cricket for #Durham during the summer, but he's fine to mess about in the circus that is the Hundred, rupturing his hamstring and ruling him out for the rest of the summer. Utterly farcical," Wilson wrote on X. 

Stokes responded sharply to Wilson’s claims, defending his commitment to County Cricket. He highlighted that he had played three County Championship matches for Durham this summer, challenging the journalist’s narrative.

"Chief Sports Writer??? I played 3 Championship games for Durham this year," Stokes tweeted.

The hamstring injury will see Stokes sidelined for the entire English summer, including the Test series against Sri Lanka. His absence is a significant blow to England, affecting both their batting and bowling strengths. Moeen Ali, Stokes’ teammate, noted that the captain's absence disrupts the team’s balance, impacting their strategy and leadership.

With Stokes out, Ollie Pope will take over as England’s captain for the upcoming Test series, starting at Old Trafford on August 21. Stokes aims to recover in time for England’s tour of Pakistan in October.