GEORGE DOBELL: The allrounder hit the winning runs in Melbourne in 2022 but won't be available for the title defence in June and is instead focusing on getting fully fit to bowl for the summer Tests and beyond
England’s hopes of retaining the Men's T20 World Cup have received a significant blow with the news that Ben Stokes has told the team management he does not want to be considered for selection.
Stokes, whose unbeaten 52 took England to victory in the previous T20 World Cup final in Melbourne at the end of 2022, has decided his primary focus is regaining his fitness to bowl in Test cricket. He has, therefore, reversed his previous decision to make himself available for the tournament.
He underwent knee surgery at the end of November, has bowled only five overs in England's eight most recent Tests and pulled out of the Indian Premier League a few weeks ago.
He is currently bowling pain-free in training and insists his plan is to regain fitness to play a full role as an all-rounder in all formats. The England management insist he has experienced no setback to his rehabilitation plans but hopes his measured return to bowling will allow him the best chance of enjoying a prolonged future as an all-rounder.
Additionally, he has pledged to play for Durham during the County Championship ahead of the start of the Test summer, which gets underway in July.
Stokes returned to bowling ahead of the schedule during the India Test series after undergoing knee surgery (Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
Stokes was England's saviour yet again at the MCG (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
"I'm working hard and focusing on building my bowling fitness back up to fulfil a full role as an all-rounder in all formats of cricket," Stokes said.
"Opting out of the IPL and the World Cup will hopefully be a sacrifice that allows me to be the all-rounder I want to be for the foreseeable future.
"The recent Test tour of India highlighted how far behind I was from a bowling point of view after my knee surgery and nine months without bowling. I’m looking forward to playing for Durham in the County Championship before the start of our Test summer.
"I wish Jos [Buttler], Motty [Matthew Mott] and all the team the best of luck in defending our title."
His absence is a huge blow to Mott and Buttler, who are both under pressure after a disappointing ODI World Cup performance.
And while Stokes didn't enjoy the best start to the 2022 T20 World Cup - he failed to make 10 in his first three innings - he showed his class and composure towards the end of the campaign. After an unbeaten innings of 42 against Sri Lanka, his half-century in the final came in a match in which nobody else reached 40. It is, to date, the only half-century of his T20I career.
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