Ben Stokes will play no part in England’s T20 World Cup defence this summer after opting out of the tournament to focus on returning to his best as a Test all-rounder.
Stokes was the hero of England’s final victory over Pakistan in 2022, making an unbeaten half-century to steer home a nervy chase in a low-scoring game.
However, the Test captain will be missing when Jos Buttler and Matthew Mott take their side to the USA and Caribbean in June, in what is a major blow to a leadership set-up under significant pressure following the dismal 50-over World Cup showing in India last year.
Stokes, who underwent surgery on a long-standing knee issue late last year, will instead concentrate on playing for newly-promoted Durham in the first part of the County Championship season, leading up to England’s Test series against West Indies and Sri Lanka later in the summer.
He has already opted out of a lucrative stint at the Indian Premier League in order to manage his workload on the back of England’s Test tour to India earlier this year.
“I’m working hard and focusing on building my bowling fitness back up to fulfil a full role as an all-rounder in all formats of cricket,” said Stokes, whose knee issue had forced him into playing as a specialist batter through much of 2023.
“Opting out of the IPL and the World Cup will hopefully be a sacrifice that allows me to be the all-rounder I want to be for the foreseeable future.”
Stokes did not bowl at all between the end of last summer’s Second Ashes Test and the start of this year’s India series, and had insisted heading into that tour that he would not do so competitively until the home summer.
However, after surprising both himself and medics with his progress in nets, the 32-year-old eventually made a surprise return to bowl in the Fifth Test defeat at Dharamshala, claiming the wicket of India captain Rohit Sharma with his first delivery in 251 days.
It is understood that there has been no setback in Stokes’s rehabilitation and that he is currently bowling pain-free while building his loads.
The recent Test tour of India highlighted how far behind I was from a bowling point of view
“The recent Test tour of India highlighted how far behind I was from a bowling point of view after my knee surgery and nine months without bowling,” Stokes said. “I’m looking forward to playing for Durham in the County Championship before the start of our Test summer.
“I wish Jos, Matty and all the team the best of luck in defending our title.”
Stokes has not played a T20 international since the World Cup final 18 months ago and had made just 58 runs in his first four innings in that tournament before once again coming alive on the biggest occasion.
His knee issue also saw him feature just twice for Chennai Super Kings during last season’s IPL, while the congested winter schedule meant he sat out the pre-Christmas white-ball tour of the Caribbean in the run-up to the Test series in India.
However, Mott confirmed in December that a place in his World Cup squad was being kept for Stokes.
“Ben, aside from his incredible match-winning ability in every department is that ability to have a seam bowler in that top-six gives you so many options with your team balance,” the Australian said at the time. “Every team in the world wants someone like that and they’re rare.”
Stokes’s return to full all-round duties would, however, be a huge plus for the Test side, who have struggled to balance their XI and during last summer’s Ashes relied on the novel move of batting now-retired spinner Moeen Ali at No3.
