New DelhiThe Test captain revealed a severely bruised right eye and a bleeding nose after being hit flush by a cricket ball during an England training session, leaving Ben Stokes with a nasty facial injury. Despite the obvious damage, Stokes tried to find the positive aspects of the incident by posting the aftermath on Instagram.
Stokes wrote on Instagram, "You should see the condition of the cricket ball."
According to reports, Stokes was not batting at the time of the incident. He was standing close to his teammates when the ball struck his right side of the face from his blind side. Stokes is already recuperating from an injury he sustained during the series when the incident occurs.
The 32-year-old will not participate in the forthcoming T20 World Cup and is currently unavailable for England's white-ball plans. He is anticipated to make his competitive cricket comeback in June when he returns to the red-ball setup for the home Test series against New Zealand.
Stokes' leadership is being scrutinized.After England's crushing 4-1 Ashes loss to Australia, Stokes' leadership has continued to be a topic of discussion. Following the series, former England fast bowler James Anderson openly questioned Stokes' remarks, specifically his commendation of player effort in spite of the lopsided outcome.
Anderson said on BBC Radio, "I had a Roy Keane moment when I saw Stokes come out and say, the way (Josh) Tongue and (Brydon) Carse have just run in like consistently." That's your job, I thought. Don't bother if you can't put in a full day of work for your team. Anderson told BBC Radio, "You're in the wrong sport."
See Also
During the press conference after the fifth Test, Stokes responded to those criticisms, firmly defending his players' dedication throughout the tour while also admitting England's shortcomings.
The overall state of the games has suffered greatly as a result of the numerous catches we've missed on this tour. When it comes to stepping up, I can never criticize someone's dedication or effort. We acknowledge and hold ourselves accountable for our poor performance. However, nobody should doubt your care and dedication to trying to give it your all. "It's simply a matter of poor execution," Stokes stated.