Ben Stokes withdraws to attend to mental health

Test series vs India

LONDON: England all-rounder Ben Stokes has withdrawn from the Test squad for the forthcoming series against India due to concerns over his mental health and injured finger, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Friday. The Test series begins on August 4 in Nottingham.

"Stokes has withdrawn from England's Test squad ahead of the Test series against India starting next week to prioritise his mental wellbeing and to rest his left index finger, which has not fully healed since his return to competitive cricket earlier this month," said the ECB statement.

"The ECB can confirm that England men's all-rounder Ben Stokes will take an indefinite break from all cricket with immediate effect," the ECB added in a statement.

Stokes, who had fractured his left index finger during the Indian Premier League (IPL) and had withdrawn from it, had taken rest from cricket.

Post-surgery, Stokes was called upon by his county Durham to feature in T20 Blast matches. He played six T20 Blast matches. The all-rounder was not scheduled to play the limited-overs series against Pakistan in but had to be called upon to lead after seven Covid-19 cases in the regular team forced the entire squad into self-isolation. IANS

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