England captain Ben Stokes is set to make a full return to competitive cricket in Durham, with the all-rounder declaring he is fully fit to bowl ahead of Friday’s County Championship clash against Worcestershire.
Stokes, who has not played since the Ashes, is expected to play a starring role with both bat and ball after recovering from a string of injury setbacks. A thirty-four-year-old man underwent reconstructive surgery following a facial injury earlier this year, who has already struggled with shoulder and groin problems over the last 12 months.
Durham head coach Ryan Campbell revealed that Stokes could even be used as a new bowler in the match, underscoring the England skipper’s fitness and readiness to return to full strength.
“He’s going to bowl for us, 100 per cent. He might even go with the new ball in one of the innings, that’s our thought,” Campbell told the Press Association.
Durham are considering deploying Stokes up front following the departure of veteran West Indies pacer Kemar Roach, with captain Alex Lees also keen to see the all-rounder take over.
“Our captain Alex Lees is really keen for Ben to have a crack at it, whether it’s one innings here or somewhere else, and we know a good spell from Ben could be a big weapon for us. We like to start someone who can swing the ball and Ben obviously does that.”
While Durham will manage his workload carefully, Campbell admitted it would be difficult to contain Stokes once he gets into the competition.
“We don’t expect a million overs from him, probably around 20-25 overs a game, but once he gets into the fray, it’s hard to get him out,” he added.
The return of Stokes will be a significant boost for England ahead of the crucial Test season, with the all-rounder expected to lead the team’s preparations in the coming months.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
07 May 2026 18:17 IST
