England could be without Ben Stokes for The Ashes as well: Report
Ben Stokes has not played a game since July 26
England all-rounder Ben Stokes could reportedly miss the Ashes this year after he recently underwent a second surgery on his broken index finger.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) revealed on Thursday that Stokes is set to spend the next four weeks in intense rehabilitation.
"Stokes had two screws and scar tissue removed from the index finger of his left hand. He will now undergo an intensive period of rehabilitation for the next four weeks under the supervision of the ECB's medical team," the ECB said in an official release.
The Rajasthan Royals (RR) star initially underwent surgery four months ago after he picked up an injury on his left index finger while playing in the India leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.
Stokes has been on an indefinite break since pulling out of the home Test series against India earlier this year. England are set to be without their key all-rounder for the upcoming T20 World Cup, which is due to begin on Oct. 17 in Oman. The tournament is being co-hosted by Oman and the UAE.
It is understood that Stokes' broken finger will now be far better and the Englishman may be able to play without constant pain in the future, however, the all-rounder is not expected to return to action any time soon as the Ashes goes underway in December.
On Wednesday (Oct. 6), Stokes posted a photo on his Instagram along with his wife Clare with his left index finger bandaged. Earlier this year, in the summer, Stokes played for Durham in the T20 Blast in an attempt to make a comeback. He was also selected for the One-Day International (ODI) series against Pakistan in July. However, the series was spoiled by England's first squad being forced into isolation following a COVID-19 outbreak.
In Eoin Morgan's absence, Stokes led a second-string side that featured nine uncapped players and captained England to a 3-0 series win. However, he required a painkilling injection throughout the series. He has not played in any form of cricket since July 26.
Stokes was then unavailable for selection for the upcoming T20 World Cup in the UAE.