Ben Stokes expressed his gratitude for surviving a severe facial injury in February. The incident occurred while he was coaching academy players at Durham, resulting in surgery for a fractured cheekbone and other facial injuries. Stokes, currently in recovery, is expected to play in a few County Championship matches next month as part of his preparation for the upcoming three-Test series against New Zealand in June.
In an interview with the ECB, Stokes acknowledged that the situation could have been much worse and expressed his relief at coming out of the incident alive. He described the injury as “pretty nasty” but considered himself fortunate given the circumstances.
The injury setback delayed Stokes’ plans by approximately a month, but he is grateful for the opportunity to participate in some county games before the Test season commences. Despite the challenges he faced during the Ashes series as the England Test captain, Stokes remains focused on his recovery and future performances.