England Test captain Ben Stokes has dubbed himself the “Bionic Man” after recently undergoing hamstring surgery.
Stokes tore his left hamstring in England’s final game in New Zealand in 2024, requiring surgery and a three-month break from cricket.
He posted a photo on Instagram of himself lying in the backseat of a car, propped up by a large leg brace and pillow, to confirm the stabbing.
In the caption, he wrote “Bionic Man for a while” with a laughing emoji and signed off with “In a little while…”
Stokes has missed four successive Test matches after tearing the same hamstring while playing for the Hundreds in August.
He appeared to have returned to full fitness after an intense rehabilitation period, resuming all-round duties with bat and ball against the Black Caps.
However, his increased workload caught up with him in the final Test in Hamilton, where he left the field after being drawn at mid-over and was unable to play any further in the match.
Stokes has already been left out of England’s squad for next month’s Champions Trophy and, with no Test matches until May, could take time to get back to his best form.
After being injured, he promised: “I will not hesitate. Every time I get frustrated, I come back stronger. There is no doubt that I will leave here. And I’ll be back where I was. “That’s my job.”
Read more: Ben Stokes has promised there is ‘more left in this tank’ following recent injuries.
