Stokes suffers devastating facial injury: England star out of cricket for extended period after cheekbone break

London (The Uttam Hindu): Terrible news has arrived for the England cricket team and its fans. The team's formidable Test captain, Ben Stokes, has suffered a tragic accident and is completely out of action for the next two months. During a recent practice session, a player's powerful throw struck him directly in the face, fracturing his cheekbone. Stokes has undergone surgery following this horrific injury, and hopes of a speedy return have been severely dented.

A throw from a teammate in the nets left him bleeding and he failed the fitness test

According to reports, Ben Stokes was part of the England Lions' coaching staff during the white-ball series against Pakistan Shaheen in the UAE. While practicing in the nets, a ball came at such a high speed that it hit him directly in the face. The injury was so severe that he had to undergo cheek surgery in February. Stokes, who plays for Durham County, has yet to pass his fitness test. Consequently, he has been ruled out of the initial matches of the County Championship, including next week's season opener against Kent.

The eye narrowly escaped, the coach described how terrifying the scene was

Durham head coach Ryan Campbell has made shocking revelations about this tragic incident. He explained that the incident involving the England captain could have been much worse than it appears. Campbell stated that the ball was hit at a very high speed, and if it had changed its direction even a few centimeters and hit him directly in the eye, the consequences could have been disastrous. Fortunately, Stokes escaped serious injury. Currently, it is expected that Stokes may not be able to take the field until the fifth county match against Worcestershire, starting May 8th.

He has been away from the field since the Ashes series, with his eyes set on the New Zealand series

Ben Stokes has a long history of injuries. He previously suffered a groin injury in the fifth Test of the Ashes series in January 2025, and hasn't played a competitive match since. England suffered a crushing 4-1 defeat at the hands of Australia in that Ashes series. Now, this new injury has made his path even more difficult. After playing a few matches for Durham in May, England will play a crucial three-match Test series against New Zealand in June. This will be followed by a three-match series against Pakistan in August. The world is now watching Ben Stokes regain full fitness for the big clash against New Zealand.