Ace England batter Ben Stokes is likely to miss the second match of his team in the ongoing ICC ODI World Cup 2023 due to a hip injury, which will be played in Dharamshala against Bangladesh. England lost their tournament opener to New Zealand in a one-sided affair.
Despite his ongoing left knee ailment, Stokes stepped out of ODI retirement to make himself available as a specialist batsman for the World Cup. However, he was absent from their humiliating loss to New Zealand last week in Ahmedabad, and he hasn’t participated in a meaningful match since scoring 182, England’s highest ODI total, against New Zealand almost a month ago.
He has batted in the nets twice since England arrived in Dharamsala, and on Monday morning, when he faced spinners, he moved far more freely than on Sunday afternoon, when he faced sidearm throws. He is, however, a serious question mark for England’s game against Afghanistan on Sunday in Delhi, which is framed as a potential comeback.
“Stokes is progressing well… he is doing more and more each day and seems to be improving, so it is good signs. It’s good to see him back in the nets and building back towards full fitness, but he’s probably unlikely for tomorrow,” Jos Buttler clarified at his pre-match press conference.
Stokes had initially planned to spend these two months resting his knee but confirmed in August that he had changed his mind.
“It’s Definitely An Option”- Jos Buttler On Playing An Extra Seamer In Dharamshala
The game on Tuesday will be played on a brand-new surface, two strips away from the abnormally sluggish one that Bangladesh used to defeat Afghanistan on Saturday. Reece Topley is the most likely contender for the additional seamer England would contemplate adding to their team, maybe at Moeen Ali’s expense.
“It’s definitely an option. played here in the IPL just gone, and there can be some good pace and bounce in the wicket. So certainly, we’ll have those discussions and we’ve got fantastic options within the squad to pick different line-ups with a different balance. It’s something we’ll consider,” Buttler said.