England skipper Ben Stokes has shared an update on the shoulder injury that sidelined him from the fifth and final Test against India at The Oval. The all-rounder expressed his frustration, revealing that scans confirmed a muscle tear. Despite considering the option of playing as a specialist batter, the severity of the injury ruled him out entirely.
Stokes had shouldered a heavy bowling burden throughout the series, delivering 140 overs across the first four Tests. While his contributions significantly benefited England, he began to experience discomfort in his right shoulder during Day 5 of the fourth Test — discomfort that was later diagnosed as a muscle tear.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, July 30, Stokes stated (as reported by Sky Sports):
“I am obviously disappointed. I have got a decent tear in one of the muscles I can’t pronounce. We took as long as we could to make the decision around that. Obviously, there is a bit of emotion that goes into this stuff when you find out what you have done. I came down here this morning to give myself every chance to play just as a batter.”
The England all-rounder admitted he considered playing the Oval Test but decided the risk was too great and will now focus on rehab. He said:
“I spoke with the medical team and Baz, and after thinking it through, the risk was too high to play. I wouldn’t put any player in that position, so I’ll begin rehab and focus on the winter ahead.”
Stokes Confirms Break After Oval, Supports Current England XI
Ben Stokes also spoke about his workload following the five-Test series, mentioning that he had planned to rest until the winter after the Oval Test regardless. He praised the depth in England’s squad and expressed confidence in the available players. Supporting the playing XI, he said:
“Once the series was done, I was feet up anyway, so it doesn’t make too much difference from what I had at the end of the series until the winter anyway. We are still able to field an 11 that is going to give us a very good chance of winning this game and winning the series.”
“That is the benefit of having a very strong squad. We have some good cricketers to choose from when we find ourselves in a situation like this. So, let’s put full concentration on the 11 we have got out there this week.”
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