England captain Ben Stokes (AP/PTI) Ben Stokes return to competitive cricket postponed, England Test captain to miss Durham County Cricket Club’s County Championship opener against Kent County Cricket Club. The all-rounder is still recovering from a serious facial injury he suffered earlier this year.
England cricketer Ben Stokes was injured after being hit in the face with a cricket ball during practice. (stokesy/Instagram via PTI Photo) (PTI02_05_2026_000466B)
Stokes suffered the blow in early February when the ball hit him in the face as he stood near the Durham academy players’ net. The impact resulted in a fractured cheekbone and pictures he later shared on social media showed visible facial damage. Surgery followed shortly after the incident.
Watch
Ben Stokes press conference: Handshake controversy, innings against India, his own fitness Durham coach Ryan Campbell confirmed on Saturday that the recovery process is taking longer than originally expected, while also stressing how serious the situation could have been.“(The incident) could have been terrible. So much worse than you think.”“An inch different way to hit him in the eye and it could have been different.“The ball was hit so hard. We’re just lucky it got away,” he said.The delay comes at a difficult time for Stokes, who recently endured a tough Ashes campaign where England were beaten 4-1. Despite the setback, he retained the captaincy alongside head coach Brendon McCullum and director of cricket Rob Key. The loss of the series prompted an internal review amid reports of differences between Stokes and McCullum during the tour.There were also problems off the field, including reports of players – notably Ben Duckett – indulging in heavy drinking in Noosa after England’s only win of the series. After being re-appointed, Stokes admitted that he had gone through a difficult phase after the disappointing tour.That crazy injury just added to those challenges.Campbell suggested that a lot has happened behind the scenes and that Stokes is now focused on resetting and preparing for what lies ahead.“He trained so hard to be ready.“He’s got a lot to prove. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know the Ashes didn’t go so well and he’s a proud man who wants England to be the best team in the world.”“As a professional, he’s working to get himself right and ready to go,” he said.According to Campbell, Stokes is unlikely to return to County action before early May. The 2019 World Cup winner would also like to make his debut in 50-over cricket this season as he has already opted out of The Hundred.With the New Zealand national cricket team touring England this summer – the first Test starts on June 4 – Stokes will be looking to get enough match practice before the series begins.For now, he is focusing on recovery, rhythm and regaining full fitness before the decisive stage.
