Ben Stokes Reflects on Near-Death Training Incident After Facial Injury
Ben Stokes, the England captain, recently opened up about a terrifying incident that nearly cost him his life. While coaching at Durham’s academy in February, he was struck in the face by a cricket ball, resulting in a broken right cheekbone and additional facial injuries. Stokes underwent surgery to address the damage and is optimistic about returning to play in two County Championship games next month. He acknowledged that the outcome could have been far worse and expressed his relief during an interview with the England and Wales Cricket Board. He stated: "I copped one straight in the face. Pretty nasty but, funnily, probably the best result of a bad situation… Just a couple of inches one way or the other, I might not be here doing this interview, if I didn’t turn my head round." Despite the severity of the injury and the subsequent surgery, Stokes is grateful for his recovery. He remarked on the challenges he faced, noting: "Obviously set everything back about a month, five weeks… had to sort of quickly go back to the drawing board and put a plan together to get me ready to play a couple of games for Durham before the Test summer starts." Reflecting on the incident, he concluded: "It was a pretty scary situation. Thankfully still here and everything’s all right." Stokes' resilience and focus on returning to the game highlight his determination as the cricket season approaches.
Source: The Independent Sport - 2026-04-15