Ben Stokes’ Father Diagnosed With Brain Cancer, Allrounder Says He Needed Break From Cricket

Aug 29, 2020 at 10:32 AM

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Ben Stokes’ Father Diagnosed With Brain Cancer, Allrounder Says He Needed Break From Cricket

England allrounder Ben Stokes has said he needed a break from cricket after it was revealed his father Ged has been diagnosed with brain cancer. Ged himself revealed the news as he stated that his illness is the reason for his son’s early departure from the England side, mid way through a test series with Pakistan.

After the first match of the three-match series, Ben Stokes left England for New Zealand to be with his father and mother Deb. At the time of his departure, ECB had not revealed the reason behind the same and stated that the allrounder left for New Zealand due to ‘family reasons’. Whilst supporting his son in Johannesburg earlier this year, Ged suffered from a brain bleed and was admitted to hospital. The incident in South Africa ultimately lead to his cancer diagnosis.

“They had to assess how I travelled (to South Africa) and from that, they discovered I had a couple of tumors on my brain as well.

“So, basically brain cancer. How that came about nobody knows but obviously I’ve had a few bangs on my head through my life so that’s probably contributed to it,” Ged told the New Zealand Herald.

Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes (Image Credit: PA)

‘My head wasn’t really in it’:

Speaking about the emotional battle, Ben Stokes stated that he was struggling to keep his mind in the game. The World Cup-winner, who landed in New Zealand earlier this week, said that taking part in the test series with Pakistan was a hard task given his father’s condition while also stating that he needed a break from all the action.

“I didn’t sleep for a week and my head wasn’t really in it. Leaving [the team] was the right choice from a mental point of view,” said the allrounder.

Speaking about his father, Stokes said: “He was tough (on me). But as I got older, I realised it was all for a reason.

“He knew I wanted to be a professional sportsman and he was drilling that into me as I started to make a career in cricket.

“His reputation sort of speaks for itself. You speak to anyone who knows him, played with him or worked with him, they’d all say the same thing.

“Most people acquire a softer side with age and sometimes with dad that has been quite weird to see.

“What he’s going through has brought that side out as well – we all knew he had it, he just didn’t show it that often,” he added.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma, Ishant Sharma To Miss 2020 Virtual Award Ceremony

Also Read: Simon Katich Hopes To See Devdutt Padikkal Playing For RCB In 2020

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