The Ashes: Ben Stokes said he clutched his knees in the first test because of an old injury that “looks worse than it is” that he knows how to deal with.
Stokes had a below average outing in the first test. (AP photo)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Stokes said the knee injury is something he can handle
- The 1st Test was Stokes’ first competitive game since July 2021
- Stokes had pulled up on the field during Australia’s first innings
Ben Stokes downplayed concerns about his knee injury, saying it’s an old trick he knows how to use. Stokes was pulled up and limped off the field during Australia’s first innings in the first Ashes Test, which England lost with nine wickets.
“People will have seen me rubbing my knee on the field from time to time, but rest assured I’m fine. It’s an old injury that flares up every now and then, but I know how I deal with it. ” Stokes wrote in a column for The Mirror.
“It just gets a bit uncomfortable in and around my cartilage every now and then, but it just looks worse than it is as I’m trying to get rid of it asap.”
Stokes had a below average outing in the first test. He was sacked for five and 14 runs, and returned numbers of 0/65 in bowling in Australia’s first innings. The first test was Stokes’ first competitive appearance since July 2021, when he missed England’s home test streak against India and the T20 World Cup to take care of his mental health and recover from a finger injury.
“A long hiatus is about to show, but I have no excuses,” said Stokes.
“I actually felt good with the racket until I got out in both innings. It doesn’t take more than that. One ball and your day is just ruined,” he wrote.
The second test will also be the first Pink Ball test in the series. The game will start in Adelaide on December 16.
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