Ben Stokes has confirmed that he intends to line up for two County Championship fixtures with Durham in May, following a harrowing training incident that left him with a fractured cheekbone and several other facial injuries. The England Test captain was struck squarely in the face by a cricket ball while conducting a coaching session for Durham's academy squad in February. The impact caused a broken right cheekbone, a bruised nose and other soft‑tissue damage, necessitating an operation to repair the bone and clean the wound.
After a period of recovery and rehabilitation, Stokes says he is on track to make his Durham return against Worcestershire on May 8 and then against Kent on May 15. He also hinted that he could be available for the England Lions when they face South Africa A later in the month, which would give him a useful stepping stone before the first Test of the summer against New Zealand at Lord's on June 4.
"It was a pretty nasty hit, but oddly enough it turned out to be the best possible outcome of a bad situation," Stokes told the England and Wales Cricket Board in a recent interview. "I got a straight‑on ball to the face – just a couple of inches off and I might not be here doing this interview if I hadn't turned my head in time." He went on to describe the surgery: "The operation was quite involved – they had to set the cheekbone back into place and stitch up a lot of tissue.
It was a mess under the skin, but I was lucky to walk out of it with a chance to get back on the field." The injury set his preseason plans back by roughly a month, forcing him to revise his training schedule. "I had to go back to the drawing board quickly and devise a plan that would get me ready for those two Durham games before the Test summer kicks off," he explained.
"I'm now at the tail end of that plan, but it was a scary time. I'm grateful to be alive and well enough to keep going." Stokes' return is crucial for England, as the side looks to rebound from a 4‑1 drubbing in the Ashes series last winter. The captain is expected to lead the team against New Zealand, hoping to restore confidence and momentum.
In addition to his on‑field duties, Stokes addressed rumours of a rift with head coach Brendon McCullum. He dismissed any suggestion that the pair are not on the same page, emphasizing that healthy disagreement is a normal part of any successful sporting partnership. "When you're in a leadership role alongside someone else, people often assume you'll agree on everything.
That's simply not realistic," Stokes said. "A healthy environment encourages debate and discussion. That's how you reach the best outcomes." He added, "Brendon and I share many similarities, but we also have differences. The important thing is that we both want to win.
We agree about 95% of the time, and for the remaining five percent we talk it through and find common ground. Saying we weren't aligned is a massive overstatement." The article also mentioned England fast bowler Brydon Carse, who has withdrawn from the Indian Premier League due to an injury to his bowling hand.
The severity of the injury remains unclear, and it is too early to determine whether Carse will be fit for England's summer programme. This marks the second consecutive season Carse has missed the IPL – he previously missed the 2025 edition after a toe injury ended his campaign.
Carse, now 30, has not featured in competitive cricket since the fifth Test of the Ashes series in Sydney, where he was England's leading wicket‑taker with 22 dismissals at an average of 30.31. His absence adds another piece to the puzzle of England's squad selection ahead of the New Zealand series. Fans can watch the entire English home summer on Sky Sports, beginning with the three‑Test series against New Zealand from June 4.
For those without a Sky subscription, the matches are also available to stream contract‑free on NOW. Overall, Stokes' recovery narrative underscores both the physical risks inherent in elite sport and the mental resilience required to bounce back. His willingness to confront the incident, undergo surgery, and fast‑track his rehabilitation reflects a determined mindset that will be vital as England seeks to restore its standing on the world stage. The upcoming County matches will serve as a practical gauge of his fitness, while his comments on leadership dynamics provide insight into the collaborative culture that England's management hopes to foster moving forward.