England’s Test captain Ben Stokes is once again in the news, but this time the reason is not his performance on the field but a serious injury suffered during a training session. Stokes recently shared a scary picture of his face on social media, in which deep swelling around his right eye, cuts on his cheek and lip and a bandage on his nose are clearly visible. This injury occurred due to being directly hit by a cricket ball.

Serious injury, but spirits high

Despite such a dangerous injury, Ben Stokes won the hearts of the fans with his style. While sharing the picture on Instagram, he jokingly wrote, “You should see the condition of that cricket ball,” along with a laughing emoji. This clearly shows that despite the injury, his confidence and spirit remain intact.

What is the update regarding return to the field?

At present, Ben Stokes is not a part of England’s white-ball team and he will not play in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2026. However, according to reports, his return to the field may happen during the Test series against New Zealand in June. The team management hopes that Stokes will be seen fully fit and leading England in Test cricket.

Stokes is going through difficult times

This injury has come at a time when Ben Stokes is already under pressure. Recently, questions were raised on his captaincy during the Ashes 2025-26. On the Australia tour, England had to face a crushing defeat of 4-1 in the 5-match Test series. England’s only win in this series was in the Boxing Day Test played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

the way forward

Now all eyes are on when Ben Stokes returns to the field fully fit and whether he will be able to answer the critics with his captaincy and performance in the Test series against New Zealand. Despite the injury, his positive attitude definitely shows that Stokes is in no mood to accept defeat yet.