Ben Stokes Suffers Facial Injury Ahead of Upcoming Matches

England Test captain Ben Stokes has recently suffered a facial injury, resulting in a black eye and bruising. He humorously shared the incident on social media, revealing he was not actively playing when the injury occurred. Stokes has been out of action since an adductor injury during the Ashes and will miss the T20 World Cup. His next expected appearance is in June against New Zealand, although he may play for Durham beforehand. Additionally, he is set to join the England Lions coaching staff for an upcoming series against Pakistan Shaheens. Stay tuned for updates on his recovery and future matches.

By Narendra Chaudhary Feb 6, 2026, 00:06 IST

Injury Update on Ben Stokes

Ben Stokes, the captain of the England Test cricket team, has sustained a facial injury resulting in a black eye and notable bruising after being hit on the cheek by a cricket ball. He shared details of his injury through an Instagram story on Thursday, humorously noting, "You should see the state of the ball." Reports indicate that Stokes was not actively batting or bowling at the time of the incident; he was merely standing off to the side during a nets session.

Recovery Timeline and Future Matches

Stokes has been sidelined from cricket since he exited the field due to an adductor injury during the final Ashes Test against Australia in Sydney last month. He has not participated in any white-ball matches for England since the 2023 World Cup and will not be part of the squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which kicks off on February 7.

His next international appearance is anticipated to be in the first Test of England's home series against New Zealand in June, although he may return to play for Durham in the County Championship prior to that.

Coaching Role with England Lions

Stokes, along with former England player Moeen Ali, was scheduled to join Andrew Flintoff in the coaching setup for the England Lions during a white-ball series against Pakistan Shaheens in Abu Dhabi, set for February and March.

The selectors have announced a 17-player squad for the three-match T20 series, as well as a 16-player squad for the five 50-over matches.

England Lions Squad Details

England Lions T20 squad includes: Sonny Baker, Luc Benkenstein, James Coles, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox (captain), Scott Currie, Calvin Harrison, Eddie Jack, Saqib Mahmood, Ben McKinney, Tom Moores, Dan Mousley, Matt Revis, Will Smeed, Nathan Sowter, Mitchell Stanley, Asa Tribe.

England Lions 50-over squad comprises: Sonny Baker, Luc Benkenstein, James Coles, Sam Cook, Jordan Cox, Scott Currie, Calvin Harrison, Eddie Jack, Ben McKinney, Dan Mousley (captain), Liam Patterson-White, Matthew Potts, Matt Revis, James Rew, Mitchell Stanley, Asa Tribe, James Wharton.