England Test captain Ben Stokes has successfully undergone surgery on his left knee, an issue that has been troubling him for over a year. Stokes shared a picture on X (formerly Twitter) confirming the operation, which addressed a problem that had plagued him for 18 months and forced him to play as a specialist batter in the recent ODI World Cup in India.

“Rehab starts now,” wrote the England allrounder alongside a photo of him outside the hospital where he had the surgery done.

In and out

Under the 🔪 done

Rehab starts now 🙌🙌 pic.twitter.com/Lz7Mh3Toh1

— Ben Stokes (@benstokes38) November 29, 2023

Stokes, who came out of ODI retirement to participate in England’s unsuccessful title defense in India, saw his team eliminated in the league stage. Despite playing as a specialist batter, he emerged as England’s second-highest run-getter of the tournament, helping them secure a berth for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

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Initially planning to undergo surgery after the Ashes series, Stokes postponed it until after the World Cup. He also withdrew from the upcoming Indian Premier League, leading to his release from the Chennai Super Kings squad.

Purchased by CSK for a staggering INR 16.25 crore, Stokes could only manage two appearances before the franchise went on to clinch their record-equalling fifth IPL title. The 32-year-old’s immediate goal is to regain fitness in time for England’s tour of India, scheduled to begin in January next year. The five-Test series commences on January 25.

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According to Sky Sports, the England team will embark on a pre-tour camp to the United Arab Emirates two weeks before the start of the India series. The Tests will be played in Hyderabad, Vizag, Rajkot, Ranchi, and Dharamsala. Stokes’s absence will be felt during the Caribbean tour, where England will play three ODIs and five T20Is starting December 3.