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London, April 2 (Hindustan Reporter) England all-rounder Ben Stokes on Tuesday withdrew from the upcoming T20 World Cup to be held in West Indies and America to focus on his fitness.
Stokes, who scored an unbeaten fifty in the final of the last edition in Australia to lead England to the title, has said he intends to regain full fitness to bowl again, and has sought selection from the England Cricket Board (ECB). Has been asked not to consider his name for.
Stokes was struggling with a knee injury last year and did not bowl in the last three Ashes Tests against Australia at home. After previously announcing his ODI retirement, he made himself available to play the World Cup in India, but did not bowl in the tournament. Ultimately, the 32-year-old player underwent surgery after the tournament ended. After this he played in the Test series in India. Although he began to bowl slowly in the nets at some point during the series, Stokes only bowled in the final Test match in Dharamsala. Stokes is now eyeing a return to the County Championship as an all-rounder so he can bowl against the West Indies and Sri Lanka during England's home summer.
“I have been working hard and focusing on strengthening my bowling fitness to play a full role as an all-rounder in all formats of cricket,” Stokes was quoted as saying by the ECB on Tuesday. Opting out of the IPL and the World Cup would be a compromise that would allow me to become the all-round player I want to be in the near future.”
“The recent Test tour of India highlighted how far behind I was from a bowling point of view after knee surgery and nine months without bowling,” he said. I am looking forward to playing for Durham in the County Championship before the start of our Test summer and wish Jos Buttler and the entire team the best of luck in defending our title.”
England will start their campaign in the T20 World Cup against Scotland in Barbados on June 4.