Image: Ben Stokes has suffered a serious hamstring injury during the third Test / © Crictoday
England’s captain and the all-rounder who has made his name well, Ben Stokes, is facing a major setback after suffering a serious hamstring injury during the ongoing third Test against New Zealand at Seddon Park, Hamilton. The injury occurred while Stokes was bowling his 37th over, as he immediately clutched his left hamstring following a boundary. In severe pain, Stokes walked off the field, with Jacob Bethell completing his over and Ollie Pope taking over as the stand-in captain.
The England Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed that Stokes would not return to the field for the remainder of the innings and would undergo further assessments to determine if he could bat in England’s second innings. ECB said:
England captain Ben Stokes is currently receiving treatment for a left hamstring issue. He will not return to the field in this innings and will undergo further assessment to determine his availability to bat in England’s second innings.
This injury comes after a similar hamstring issue earlier in the year during The Hundred, and it raises concerns about his ongoing fitness. Stokes has bowled the most overs in two years in this series, adding to the strain. England is also struggling in the match, trailing New Zealand by over 600 runs.