Ben Stokes will return for England\u2019s crucial match against South Africa<\/p>\n
Ben Stokes is set to make an overdue return to the World Cup stage this weekend but he feared his tournament was over before it had even started when he \u201cheard a pop\u201d while training in the gym.<\/p>\n
Stokes has missed all three of England\u2019s games so far, with details sketchy about the nature of the hip problem that occurred during the warm-up week in Guwahati.<\/p>\n
But the 32-year-old is now primed and ready for a comeback in Saturday\u2019s must-win clash against South Africa in Mumbai and finally free to open up about worries he had sustained a major injury.<\/p>\n
\u201cI actually ripped the fascia off my muscle. It was a very interesting one, a very rare one to do,\u201d he said. \u201cI did it in the gym\u2026I heard it pop. So did our strength and conditioning coach. When I initially did it I thought I was done, because it\u2019s not good hearing a pop.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did think I was out but we got the scans back 36hrs, maybe two days, later and thankfully it wasn\u2019t anywhere near as bad as we originally thought.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe got a programme in place straightaway, it went really well, and now I\u2019m here now available for selection. I\u2019ve worked very hard to get to where I am now and I\u2019m pretty confident that everything will be good.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nWe need to tone it down a bit on me coming back in. I’m not the Messiah.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Stokes was put through his paces during a lengthy workout at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday night, taking part in high-intensity fielding drills and enjoying a long batting stint in the nets. Meanwhile, Jofra Archer was also seen for the first time since joining up with the squad as a reserve, running in the outfield as he continued his recovery from a long stint on the sidelines.<\/p>\n
It is hard to over-estimate the importance of Stokes\u2019 presence in the side as England look to cast off a modest start to their title defence and rediscover their mojo.<\/p>\n
Stokes\u2019 presence has loomed large for a long time, be it his match-winning turn in the 2019 final, his clutch performance in the T20 equivalent last year or his remarkable reinvention of the Test team in his role as red-ball captain.<\/p>\n
Yet he is at pains to avoid being drawn as an incoming saviour, riding to his team-mates\u2019 rescue.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to tone it down a bit on me coming back in,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m not the Messiah, I think Woody (Mark Wood) has already said that, which is true. I\u2019m one person in a team sport\u2026I know I\u2019m just a very small part of a bigger entity.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone who walks on to that field for England is a match-winner in their own right. All I can try and do is what I do every single time I wear an England shirt and give my absolute all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite his protestations, Stokes remains much more than a cog in the machine. He was even dubbed the squad\u2019s \u201cspiritual leader\u201d by head coach Matthew Mott after delivering a dressing room speech following their defeat to Afghanistan in Delhi.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat must be because we\u2019re in India!\u201d he said of his new job description. \u201cBut I know that people do listen when I talk. I don\u2019t try and speak too much but I try and speak when I feel it\u2019s the right time.<\/p>\n
\u201cJos Buttler and Motty have got a lot on their shoulders with it being a World Cup, so I try and help out as much as I can without stepping on their toes.<\/p>\n
\u201cI find myself just reminding everyone of certain things \u2013 reinforcing what they are, who they are, what they\u2019ve achieved in the game, how talented and how good they are at this sport.\u201d<\/p>\n
And when it comes to Saturday\u2019s high-stakes encounter at the Wankhede Stadium, his mission statement is clear: \u201cIf we\u2019re going to go down, let\u2019s go down doing what we\u2019re known for.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s not be timid or restricted in what we want to do. We want to go out and show the opposition what England is and what we\u2019ve been known for. We are double world champions in T20 and 50-over cricket.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou hear me say it a lot \u2013 I don\u2019t care if we lose, I just want us to go out there and play in the way we talk about.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stokes\u2019 return means difficult decisions will need to be taken over the composition of the XI, with his stand-in Harry Brook having made a strong case for retention.<\/p>\n
A rebalancing of the side may be necessary, with all-rounders Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone and Chris Woakes proving an unconvincing engine room so far.<\/p>\n
Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ben Stokes will return for England\u2019s crucial match against South Africa Sign up to our free sport newsletter for all the latest news on everything from cycling to boxing Sign up to our free sport email for all the latest news Thanks for signing up to the Sport email Ben Stokes is set to make […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":293661,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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