'I ain't holding back': Stokes disappointed with fresh hamstring injury

Hamilton (The Uttam Hindu): England captain Ben Stokes is disappointed with his fresh hamstring injury but said he is not going to hold back despite the recent setback. Stokes left the field limping on the third day of England's 423-run defeat to New Zealand in the third Test in Hamilton. He is scheduled to undergo a scan on Wednesday. The 23 overs he bowled on the first day marked his highest workload in a single day. His 36.2 overs in the match were the most he has bowled in over two years, while the 66.1 overs he delivered during the series represent his highest tally as captain.

"I'm obviously very disappointed, but every setback I come back stronger. There's no doubt I'll be going away from here, working (hard) as I always do and getting myself back to where I was in this game," Stokes told BBC Sport. The all-rounder's contribution with the ball throughout 2023 was hindered by a persistent left knee issue, for which he underwent surgery a year ago. In August, he sustained his first hamstring injury during The Hundred, forcing him to miss three Tests against Sri Lanka and one against Pakistan. Stokes later admitted that the effort to regain fitness for the final two Tests in Pakistan took a mental toll. However, he appeared to be back to his best in New Zealand, the country where he was born.

In Hamilton, while bowling his third over on the third day, Stokes pulled up during his follow-through. Visibly emotional, he left the field and took no further part in the match. Although a scan was initially expected before the fourth day, it was postponed until after the Test. "There's no doubt I was incredibly frustrated last night, in particular with how much graft I'd put in until then. I felt so good about everything. I felt my rhythm was back with the ball; I bowled a lot of overs, and my body was feeling good. The first time I feel like a young man again is when I pick something else up," Stokes said.

The 33-year-old added he is not going to hold himself from bowling long spells and called the fresh hamstring injury 'one of those unfortunate things'. "It's just one of those unfortunate things. I ain't holding back. Every time you walk out on the field, you're at risk of injury. You can't play for anything in this game," Stokes said. England's next Test series will be a home fixture against Zimbabwe, scheduled for May. This will be followed by a high-profile series at home against India and away in Australia, for which Stokes' availability will be crucial.

England coach Brendon McCullum remarked that he might need to remind Stokes 'he's not as young as he used to be' while ensuring his 'flair' remains untouched. "That's what makes him great. He takes himself to places that other people aren't prepared to. He pushes boundaries constantly of where he thinks he can take his body," said McCullum. "If you try to chisel off any rough edges of those types of mavericks, you end up with a vanilla product, and no one wants that. We want Ben Stokes being the maverick that he is. We'll have to deal with it every now and then; he's going to get a little bit injured. That's life, right? You can't prepare for every situation."