Cheek Injury Delays Stokes' Return Until May

Stokes has not played since nan extremity of England's dismal Ashes defeat. He sustained an adductor injury connected nan penultimate time of nan bid successful Sydney and was severely hampered.

Stokes was expected to characteristic on pinch galore England players successful nan early rounds of nan County Championship amid title for places successful nan Test XI.

He has been retained arsenic skipper contempt nan 4-1 Ashes loss, while coach Brendon McCullum and managing head Rob Key person besides been kept connected successful their roles.

After those decisions were confirmed this week, Stokes said nan past 3 months person been "the hardest period" of his England captaincy, and backed nan existent authorities to return nan squad forward.

"He has been training truthful difficult to beryllium ready," Campbell said.

"He has a batch to prove. You don't person to beryllium a rocket intelligence to cognize nan Ashes didn't spell truthful good and he is simply a proud man who wants England to beryllium nan champion squad successful nan world.

"He, arsenic a professional, is moving astatine getting correct and fresh to go."

Campbell besides revealed Stokes plans to play for his region successful nan One-Day Cup this summer.

The 50-over title is played alongside The Hundred, pinch counties often fielding second-string sides.

Stokes has not played successful nan 50-over format since nan 2023 World Cup successful India and has not featured successful nan title for Durham since 2014.

But pinch Stokes having opted retired of The Hundred and not presently successful England's white-ball sides, nan One-Day Cup would supply him pinch immoderate cricket betwixt England's Test series.

The bid against New Zealand ends successful precocious June and a three-Test contented against Pakistan originates connected 19 August.