England test captain Ben Stokes hopes he can become a dominant force with both bat and ball again when the all-rounder returns from hamstring surgery, with a busy summer ahead that includes high-profile series against India and Australia.
The 33-year-old has been out of action since tearing his left hamstring in December and underwent surgery in January to get rid of an issue that has plagued him in recent years. The talismanic all-rounder, who has occasionally been forced to play as a specialist batter because of the injury, said he had gone through one of the longest rehab periods of his career.
“I’ve worked incredibly hard on all aspects of everything, from my cricket to fitness, and know I’m going to be in a position when I am back on the field to potentially be in physically the best possible shape I have been in,” he told Sky Sports. Stokes will return to the England side for a one-off test against Zimbabwe from May 22 at Trent Bridge before they host India for five tests followed by the Ashes series in Australia. The Durham player was pleased with how his training had gone but was aware that playing a real match will be more demanding. “As excited as I am to get back on the field I do know it’s going to be different to my training,” he said. “But in terms of my role as a player, that full seamer, batting at six, trying to dominate every situation I find myself whether I’ve got a bat or ball in my hand is what I want to get back doing out on the field, on the biggest stage. “I know I’ve done it before, it’s something I’ve very confident in myself I can do.”