Ben Stokes out till May due to broken cheekbone

England Men’s Test captain Ben Stokes is not expected to be available for the opening month of the 2026 County Championship as he recovers from surgery on a broken cheek bone.

Stokes was hit underneath the eye while helping out a Durham nets session, in early February. He has since had surgery for the same on a broken cheekbone. Stokes was part of the coaching staff for the England Lions tour against the Pakistan Shaheens in the UAE, but is yet to be cleared to return to playing duties.

Durham coach Ryan Campbell confirmed that Stokes wanted to get in three to four games under his belt ahead of England’s Test summer, but has now been confirmed to be unavailable until at least May 8, when they take on Worcestershire.

"[The incident] could have been horrific," Campbell said at Durham's pre-season media day. "So, so much worse than what you think. A couple of centimetres a different way it hits him in the eye and it could have been different. The ball was hit so hard. We are just lucky he got away with it," Campbell said.

Stokes’ last appearance came in the fifth Test of the Ashes in Sydney, where on the penultimate day the England skipper hobbled off with an adductor injury. Stokes, along with coach Brendon McCullum and ECB Managing Director Rob Key, will keep their places after a dismal 4-1 drubbing in Australia.

Campbell also said that the England skipper is ready to go after the showing in the winter, and has been training hard to get ready for the summer.

"He has been training so hard to be ready. He has a lot to prove. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know the Ashes didn't go so well and he is a proud man who wants England to be the best team in the world. He, as a professional, is working at getting right and ready to go,” Campbell added.

England take on New Zealand in a three-match Test series, the first of which is to begin on June 4 at Lord’s.