England captain Ben Stokes has made a promising return from injury, continuing his push towards full match fitness ahead of a demanding run in Test cricket this summer.
The all-rounder featured for Durham in the County Championship clash against Worcestershire, where he impressed in a revised role as a new-ball bowler. Stokes took two wickets in each innings to help guide Durham to a comfortable nine-wicket win.
It marked his first competitive appearance since England’s Ashes campaign in Australia earlier this year. The 34-year-old is recovering from a broken cheekbone suffered during training in February.
With his batting contribution limited to 14 runs from the No.5 position, Stokes showed encouraging pace and pace with the ball, opening the bowling in both innings. His use of the new ball will mark a tactical change ahead of England’s upcoming matches.
England are gearing up for two consecutive three-match Test series against New Zealand and Pakistan as part of their ICC World Test Championship campaign. With so many pace concerns, Stokes may have to shoulder more responsibility with the ball.
After the retirement of James Anderson, Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes, England are looking for a new bowling pair. That task has been further complicated by injuries to Brayden Carrs and Mark Wood, as well as fitness concerns over Jofra Archer.
The selectors are weighing up options including Ollie Robinson, Matthew Potts, Sam Cooke and Sonny Baker, but Stokes’ recent County Championship exploits could open the door for him to resume a new ball role at Test level.
The England captain has not opened the bowling in Test cricket since the second innings of the first Test against Pakistan in 2022. However, his recent performances for Durham have provided encouraging signs that a return to that role could be considered.
Stokes could get another chance with the ball when Durham take on Kent at Beckenham in the four-day fixture starting on Friday, although Matthew Potts is expected to return after being rested in the Worcestershire match.
Durham head coach Ryan Campbell has already hinted that Stokes could be used with the new ball during his comeback phase, praising the England captain’s continued impact on the team’s atmosphere and standards.
England open their own Test against the Black Caps at Lord’s on June 4, where Stokes’ role with both bat and ball will be closely monitored as preparations heat up.