“Back loading the hammy” – Ben Stokes hits the gym as he recovers from hamstring injury
England Test captain Ben Stokes shared a workout video on his Instagram story on Wednesday, September 11, as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. Stokes led England to a 3-0 series victory over the West Indies in July.
However, he suffered the injury while playing in The Hundred, retiring hurt after scoring just two runs from four deliveries in a match between the Northern Superchargers and Manchester Originals. Consequently, Stokes missed the recent three-Test series at home against Sri Lanka.
On Wednesday, the English all-rounder shared a video of his fitness regimen as he works towards a full recovery. He captioned the post:
“Back loading the hammy.”
Fans can watch the video here.
For the series against Sri Lanka, Ollie Pope stepped in as captain during Stokes' absence. In the first match, chasing 205 runs, Joe Root led England to a five-wicket victory, remaining unbeaten on 62.
Root maintained his excellent form in the second game, scoring two consecutive centuries. He matched Sir Alastair Cook’s record of 33 centuries in the first innings and surpassed it in the second, as England won the match by 190 runs.
In the final game, England established a 62-run lead after the first innings. However, Sri Lankan bowlers responded by dismissing the hosts for 156 in their second innings. Chasing 219, Pathum Nissanka played a crucial role with an unbeaten 127 off 124 balls, leading Sri Lanka to an eight-wicket victory.
Ben Stokes returns as England announce 17-member squad for three-match series against Pakistan
Pakistan will host England for a three-match Test series which begins on October 7. The visitors will be strengthened by the return of Ben Stokes, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury.
Zak Crawley, who fractured his finger in July, also makes a comeback to the squad. Additionally, England has included Jack Leach and Rehan Ahmed to enhance their spin attack.
Here’s the 17-member England squad for the Pakistan tour: Ben Stokes (c), Joe Root, Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Ben Duckett, Shoaib Bashir, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Josh Hull, Jack Leach, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Jamie Smith (wk), Olly Stone, and Chris Woakes.