England cricket star Ben Stokes , who has been sidelined since December due to a hamstring injury, discussed his rehabilitation journey and expressed his determination to return as a full-time pace bowling all-rounder . Speaking to Sky Sports, the 33-year-old detailed his recovery process since surgery in January and his preparations for upcoming Test series against India at home and the Ashes series in Australia.
Stokes has been undergoing one of the longest rehabilitation periods of his career, focusing on comprehensive recovery to ensure he returns to the field in peak condition.
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"I always work hard. My ethos when I am injured is that I come back fitter than I was before I got injured," Stokes told Sky Sports.
"I have worked incredibly hard on all aspects of everything, from my cricket to fitness, and know I am 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 said.
The hamstring injury initially occurred during the Hundred tournament last August, causing him to miss four consecutive Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
His attempt to expedite recovery for the New Zealand tour led to a relapse, but the current break in the international calendar has provided him adequate time for proper rehabilitation.
"The first time I pulled my hamstring, there was such a small timeframe to try and get myself ready for that series against Pakistan," Stokes explained.
Who's that IPL player?
"To walk back on to the field after nine weeks with the hamstring tear I had was a pretty good effort, but there were days I had no interest in doing what I needed to do."
"That rehab period then looked a lot different to this period. We had to fast-track certain periods of a normal rehab with a hamstring just to pass me fit to play, whereas this time around the medical team and I said we are going to nail it because we have got the time absolutely."
"The time has allowed me not to have to get into the mindset of every day waking up and thinking about what I need to do to feel right in my head that I am fit. Those are the unseen things that people from outside don't necessarily see."
"It was a tough old slog and was very tiring and taxing, not just physically but also mentally, doing something every single day to try and get myself to the next level of my rehab. It does take it out of you; it was pretty much every day for about six weeks where I had to do something, three or four sessions a day, it was tough."
Stokes emphasized that his current recovery has been more structured, allowing for gradual progression through various stages of rehabilitation.
"I am not fully through that yet, but we are at the back end of the four-month period, and I am excited to get back to playing this summer," he stated.
England will face Zimbabwe in a one-off Test on May 22 before their series against India.
Stokes revealed his ongoing discussions with head coach Brendon McCullum about managing his return and regaining his world-class form.
"I am 33, I don't want to expose myself to a situation where I am off the field when I don't have to be," Stokes said.
"I talk to Baz a lot about many different things, we have spoken about this kind of stuff and how he is going to help me better, how he is going to speak to me a lot more about this stuff. We have worked together for so long, we know each other inside out, and those discussions we have had over the last couple of months have been very good."
"I feel great. Training and playing are completely different. No matter what you do at training, you cannot replicate the intensity your body is put through in a game. As excited as I am to get back on the field, I know it will be different to my training."
"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 have 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 have done it before, it is something I am very confident in myself that I can do."
Stokes has been undergoing one of the longest rehabilitation periods of his career, focusing on comprehensive recovery to ensure he returns to the field in peak condition.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel.
"I always work hard. My ethos when I am injured is that I come back fitter than I was before I got injured," Stokes told Sky Sports.
"I have worked incredibly hard on all aspects of everything, from my cricket to fitness, and know I am 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 said.
The hamstring injury initially occurred during the Hundred tournament last August, causing him to miss four consecutive Tests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
His attempt to expedite recovery for the New Zealand tour led to a relapse, but the current break in the international calendar has provided him adequate time for proper rehabilitation.
"The first time I pulled my hamstring, there was such a small timeframe to try and get myself ready for that series against Pakistan," Stokes explained.
Who's that IPL player?
"To walk back on to the field after nine weeks with the hamstring tear I had was a pretty good effort, but there were days I had no interest in doing what I needed to do."
"That rehab period then looked a lot different to this period. We had to fast-track certain periods of a normal rehab with a hamstring just to pass me fit to play, whereas this time around the medical team and I said we are going to nail it because we have got the time absolutely."
"The time has allowed me not to have to get into the mindset of every day waking up and thinking about what I need to do to feel right in my head that I am fit. Those are the unseen things that people from outside don't necessarily see."
"It was a tough old slog and was very tiring and taxing, not just physically but also mentally, doing something every single day to try and get myself to the next level of my rehab. It does take it out of you; it was pretty much every day for about six weeks where I had to do something, three or four sessions a day, it was tough."
Stokes emphasized that his current recovery has been more structured, allowing for gradual progression through various stages of rehabilitation.
"I am not fully through that yet, but we are at the back end of the four-month period, and I am excited to get back to playing this summer," he stated.
England will face Zimbabwe in a one-off Test on May 22 before their series against India.
Stokes revealed his ongoing discussions with head coach Brendon McCullum about managing his return and regaining his world-class form.
"I am 33, I don't want to expose myself to a situation where I am off the field when I don't have to be," Stokes said.
"I talk to Baz a lot about many different things, we have spoken about this kind of stuff and how he is going to help me better, how he is going to speak to me a lot more about this stuff. We have worked together for so long, we know each other inside out, and those discussions we have had over the last couple of months have been very good."
"I feel great. Training and playing are completely different. No matter what you do at training, you cannot replicate the intensity your body is put through in a game. As excited as I am to get back on the field, I know it will be different to my training."
"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 have 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 have done it before, it is something I am very confident in myself that I can do."
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