England all-rounder and Test skipper Ben Stokes is all set to stay away from action for the next three months due to a recurring hamstring injury that resurfaced during the New Zealand series. Stokes reportedly faced discomfort during the third and final Test of the three-match series that was won handsomely by New Zealand by a whopping margin of 423 runs. After bowling a bounce during the 56th over of New Zealand's second innings, Stokes immediately felt the back of his left thigh and was forced to limp his way off the field.

However, the English captain has vowed to come back strong and expressed his strong desire to contribute to his national side's cause with "blood, sweat and tears" as described by him.

Something else to overcome…go on then!!!!!!!!

I’ve got so much more left in this tank and so much more blood sweat and tears to go through for my team and this shirt.
There’s a reason I have a Phoenix permanently inked on my body

See you on the field to fuck some shit up

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) December 23, 2024

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A look at Stokes' ongoing challenges with hamstring problem

This is not the first time that a hamstring injury has caused him to be out of action. Earlier this year in the month of August, the 33-year-old ruptured his hamstring while batting for Northern Superchargers against Manchester Originals in the men's Hundred. He was ruled out for two months after sustaining that injury in the Hundred. 

But it did not take the start all-rounder to run into the same injury once again as a recent scan on Monday revealed by the ECB confirmed the recurrence of the tear during the New Zealand Test series. The ECB recognizes the extent of Stokes' injury and therefore arrived at a decision to exclude him from the 15-member squad for the Champions Trophy in February. 

What's next for Ben Stokes?

With so much cricket around the corner, Stokes will be forced to wait along the sidelines. The star all-rounder has yet to feature for England in the ODI format since the 2023 ODI World Cup. He will be expected to remain unavailable for the marquee Champions Trophy event in Pakistan, a tournament where Stokes' presence would have benefited the team most. 

Moreover, he will now be compelled to concede a hefty £800,000 deal with MI Cape Town in the SA20. But Stokes is likely to return to full fitness before England's next Test match against Zimbabwe at home in May 2025.