Ben Stokes, England’s Test captain was spotted engaging in bowling practice for the first time since his knee surgery, before the second Test match between IND and ENG in Visakhapatnam.
Since taking on the role of captain for the England Test team, Ben Stokes has been instrumental in securing numerous victories with his exceptional batting prowess. Yet, there have been occasions where his performance on the field has been hindered by knee issues, preventing him from contributing as a bowler. In November of the previous year, Stokes underwent surgery to address his knee concerns.
England has arrived in Vizag and kicked off their practice sessions at the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium. A video shared by Will Macpherson, a journalist from ‘The Telegraph,’ shows Ben Stokes in action during the nets. The caption says, “Here we go,” echoing Macpherson’s tweet from the previous day, marking Stokes’ return to bowling after Joe Root surpassed him in the Test all-rounders rankings.
His tweet read, “Ben Stokes will take his first steps back to bowling at England training in Vizag tomorrow. This comes after Joe Root overtook him in the Test all-rounder rankings.”
In the Hyderabad Test, Joe Root showcased his bowling prowess by emerging as England’s leading wicket-taker in the first innings, dismissing four Indian batsmen. In the subsequent innings, Root added another wicket to his tally, securing the second-highest position among English bowlers, just behind debutant Tom Hartley.
As of now, Joe Root boasts a total rating of 313, maintaining his standing as the top-rated English bowler. Ben Stokes, holding the fifth position with 307 rating points, last displayed his bowling skills during the ENG vs AUS second Test match at Lord’s in 2023. Despite sending down 15 overs in the match and claiming a solitary wicket, Stokes has been absent from the bowling crease for the past four Tests.
Stokes, with a career record of 197 wickets from 98 Tests at an average of 32.07, has recorded four five-wicket hauls. His best performance remains an impressive 6.22.
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