England captain Ben Stokes addressed concerns about his knee following his noticeable hobbling during their test victory over Ireland. He assured that it would not pose a problem for the upcoming Ashes series later this month.
During the one-off test at Lord’s, Stokes appeared uncomfortable when he took a catch to dismiss Ireland’s Curtis Campher. He has been dealing with knee troubles for a while, which have limited his ability to bowl seam in test matches.
Ben Stokes explained, “I landed quite awkwardly, hyper-extending my knee as my weight shifted to the inside. It was just one of those things, but turning 32 tomorrow probably explains it.However, I bowled this morning, and I felt really pleased with how it felt. It was my first time back since the Indian Premier League.. Nothing to be concerned about.”
Despite his limited bowling in recent tests and a mere one over bowled for the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, Stokes did not participate in batting or bowling in the win against Ireland. He clarified that he had no intention to bowl in that game but assured his readiness to contribute with the ball in the Ashes series, starting with the first test against Australia at Edgbaston on June 16.
Stokes also commended test debutant Josh Tongue for his exceptional performance, as the seamer secured a five-wicket haul in the second innings, consistently dismissing top-order batsmen. Tongue has been included in the Ashes squad for the first two tests
