Ben Stokes: England, Captain, promises to be fitter than before on returning hamstring operation

Ben Stokes has sworn to return for the test of England in peak physical condition after an extensive four -month recovery of hamstring surgery.

English captain Stokes has been out of operation for the country and the province since he torn his left hamstring during the last test in New Zealand in December.

Since the operation in January in January, the 33-year-old all-rounder of Durham “has taken one of the longest Rehab periods of his career” that he says he could see him return to the Test Arena-Fitter than he ever was.

“I always work hard,” Stokes said exclusively Sky Sports In an interview that must be completely screened at 7 p.m. Sky Sports Cricket.

“My ethos when I am injured is that I will come back fitter than before I was injured.

“I have worked incredibly hard on all aspects of everything, from my cricket to fitness, and I know that I will be in a position when I am back on the field to possibly be the best possible form in physically in which I have been.”

Stokes’ hamstring injury was a repeat of the person he played in the hundred in the hundred in August. It would come to him from England promotion for four consecutive test matches, three at home at Sri Lanka and one in Pakistan.

Faced with a race to be suitable for the tour through Nieuw -Zeeland, he participated in a condensed recovery period that ultimately contributed to the relapse. Now, with a gap in the agenda of England that presents sufficient recovery time, Stokes seizes the opportunity to “absolutely fast” his return to fitness.

‘I have treated this rehabilitation much better than last

“The first time I pulled my hamstring, there was such a small time frame to prepare myself for that series against Pakistan,” he added. “To walk back to the field with the hamstring crack I had after nine weeks, a pretty good effort, but there were days when I had no interest in doing what I had to do.

“That rehabilitation period then looked much different in this period. We had to speed up certain periods of normal rehabilitation with a hamstring to pass me fit to play, while this time around the medical team and I said we will absolutely nail it because we have time.

“Time has enabled me not to have to wake up in the mindset from every day and to think about what I have to do to feel good in my head that I am fit. Those are the unseen things that people from outside do not necessarily see.

“It was a heavy old slog and was very tiring and stressful, not only physically, but also mentality, doing something every day to try to get myself to the next level of my rehabilitation. It gets it out of you; it was about six weeks where I had to do something, three or four sessions a day, it was difficult.

“This time I was much longer to be able to drip slowly into pieces of progression of walking, walking in fast, running and then bowling. It has not been close to physically or mentally burdensome, that is the big difference.

“I am not completely through that yet, but we are at the back of the four -month period and I am excited to play again this summer.”

Stokes wants to resume the role as a dominant all -rounder

England is confronted with a one-off test against Zimbabwe on 22 May, a series of five tests against India between 20 June to 4 August and then an Ashes series in Australia.

Stokes shared how he stays in dialogue with English head coach Brendon McCullum about managing his fitness to ensure that he can rediscover his form as one of the world’s best.

“I am 33, I don’t want to expose myself to a situation where I am outside the field if I don’t have to be,” Stokes said.

“I talk a lot with Baz about many different things, we have talked about things like this and how he will help me better, how he will talk to me much more about this stuff. We have worked together for so long, we know each other inside out and those discussions we have had in recent months have been very good.”

Regarding the state of Stokes’ game, he continued: “I feel great. Training and playing are completely different. Whatever you do when training, you can’t replicate the intensity that your body is put on in a game. As excited as I am to come back to the field I know it’s different from my training.

“But in terms of my role as a player, the entire Zealer, who hits at six o’clock, tries to dominate every situation that I find myself if I have a bat or ball in my hand, is what I want to do on the field, on the biggest stage. I know I have done it earlier, it’s something I have myself.

English men test matches this summer ☀️

All games at 11 a.m. UK and Ireland; All live on Sky Sports

• vs Zimbabwe: Thursday 22 May – Sunday May 25 – Trent Bridge
• vs India: Friday June 20 – Tuisdag 24 June – Headingley
• vs India: Wednesday 2 July – Sunday July 6 – Edgbaston
• vs India: Thursday, July 10, July 14 – Lords
• vs India: Wednesday July 23 – Sunday July 27 – Emirates Old Trafford
• vs India: Thursday 31 July – Day August 4 – The Kia Oval

Ashes series in Australia 2025-26 🏏

Always UK and Ireland

• First test: Friday, November 21 – Dinsdag November 25 (2.30 am) – Optus Stadium, Perth
• Second test: Thursday, December 4, December 8, 8 (4.30 am) – The Gabba, Brisbane
• Third test: Wednesday December 17 – Sunday December 21 (12 hours) – Adelaide Oval
• Fourth test: Thursday December 25 -Day December 29 (11.30 pm) – Melbourne Cricket Ground
• Fifth test: Sunday, January 4 – Underdday January 8 (11.30 pm) – Sydney Cricket Ground

View the one -off four -day test of England against Zimbabwe, live on Sky Sports Cricket From 10 a.m. (11 am first ball) on Thursday 22 May.