Ben Stokes never contemplated leaving the World Cup early to move his upcoming knee surgery forward, despite England’s Test tour to India and his knee issues. He said that leaving early would have been “the easy way out.” Stokes will have an operation later this month to address his left-knee issue, with a rehabilitation time of five to seven weeks, just in time for England’s Test team tour to India in January. There was no thought of leaving early for him, he said, emphasizing the importance of being part of a team.
Jos Buttler, England’s captain, said there hasn’t been a conversation about the possibility of Stokes leaving, emphasizing that it’s not his style and that he’s committed to playing in the World Cup.
Stokes’ surgery will likely rule him out of England’s tour to the Caribbean, but he remains non-committal about his future plans. After missing England’s first three games at the World Cup, he noted that his physical fitness improved over the course of the tournament. He expressed his anticipation for getting the issue sorted and not having to worry like he has been for the past 18 months. From a physical point of view, he felt better than when he first arrived.
