Ben Stokes to miss opening month as cheek injury delays comeback

Ben Stokes will be unavailable for the first month of the county season as he continues recovering from the facial injuries suffered in a freak training accident. The England Test captain fractured his cheekbone after being struck by a ball during a Durham net session, later revealing the severity of the damage in a swollen, heavily bruised Instagram photo. Although surgery went smoothly, the extended rehabilitation has forced him to postpone his return.

Stokes has not played since England’s heavy Ashes finale in Australia in January and had targeted next week’s opener against Kent for his comeback. That plan is now off the table, with the 34‑year‑old expected to miss Durham’s first four Championship fixtures. The all‑rounder is instead aiming to regain match fitness in May, when he hopes to feature against Worcestershire and Kent as preparation for England’s upcoming Test series against New Zealand.