The crowd in Wellington got to witness one of the most enthralling games of Test cricket as the hosts New Zealand and England played out one of the most entertaining Tests of the century. After a tough fight in 5 days, the visitors suffered a close loss by just one run in the second Test match of the series. England skipper Ben Stokes confirmed he will be available for IPL 2023 despite being seen struggling with a knee injury during Day 5 of the match.
The English all-rounder was seen hobbling between the wickets during his crucial partnership with former skipper Joe Root in the fourth and final innings of the series. However, the Englishman, who was roped in by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the 2023 edition, revealed that he had conversations with CSK head coach Stephen Fleming, who is aware of his injury concerns.
After losing the Test in Wellington, Ben Stokes said, “I am going to the IPL. I have had conversations with ‘Flem’ and he’s fully aware of the situation with my body. It’s a week by week case at the moment.”
CSK fans, he's coming 😌 pic.twitter.com/Cr45tn9AXs
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) February 28, 2023
Talking about his injury, Ben Stokes expressed his frustration with not being able to perform up to his usual high standards. He bowled just a couple of overs in the match and was seen in considerable pain during his batting innings. The dynamic cricketer has been leaving no stone unturned with the support staff to fully assess his situation and is adamant about fulfilling his duties for the upcoming Ashes on home soil.
Describing the same, Ben Stokes said, “I am not going to lie, it’s incredibly frustrating knowing something has been holding me back from performing as I’d like to. I have been working hard with the physios and the medics trying to get myself to a place where I can fulfil my role as I have done for the last 10 years.”
He further added, “I’ve got a four-month period now to get it better before the Ashes because I want to be turning up for the first Test in Birmingham able to fulfil my role properly. I’ll be doing everything I can to give myself the best opportunity not to have to worry about it.”
