Image Credit- Getty
With the intention of participating fully in his
England team’s five-Test series in India early in the new year, Ben Stokes has
begun his recuperation after surgery on his left knee.
This week, Stokes had surgery at the private Cromwell
Hospital in southwest London, conducted by Dr. Andy Williams, a knee specialist
whose past patients include Andrew Flintoff and Chris Woakes.
He posted a picture of himself with crutches outside
the hospital on Instagram on Wednesday, with the caption: “In and out.
Under the [knife emoji] done. Rehab starts now.”
For many years, Stokes has been coping with a chronic
issue in his left knee, which is commonly believed to be patellar tendinitis.
Over the past 18 months, this condition has significantly hindered his bowling
abilities. Since July 1, the fourth day of the second Ashes Test, he has not
bowled competitively and instead participated in the World Cup as a specialist
hitter.
Declaring in India that he “should be fine”
to play in the first Test in Hyderabad on January 25, he said he would have
surgery following the tournament. A training camp will take place in the United
Arab Emirates approximately two weeks before to the series’ commencement, and
England will land in India two or three days early.
It remains to be seen if Stokes will be fit enough to
play a role with the ball in India. He said earlier this month: “You’d
hope that it [undergoing surgery] means that I can get back to doing what I’ve
been known for, which is playing a role as a batter, and playing a role as a
bowler as well.”
In part because he needed to wait for a date in
Williams’ diary, Stokes stated during the World Cup that he did not contemplate
quitting the competition early for surgery until England’s elimination was
guaranteed. “When you go to specialists who are the best in their field,
they are quite busy people,” he stated.
He was recently released from his Chennai Super Kings
contract, which was worth INR 16.25 crore (about £1.6 million), after it was
revealed that he would miss the IPL in order “to manage his workload and
fitness” next year.