England Test captain Ben Stokes is nursing a significant facial injury after being struck by a cricket ball during a training session. The all-rounder, 34, shared a photo on his Instagram account displaying the extent of the damage. The image shows swelling and bruising around his right eye, a cut on his cheek, and a bandage inserted in his nose to stop the bleeding.

Stokes lightheartedly captioned the photo, "You should see the state of the cricket ball," accompanied by a laughing emoji. The incident occurred as Stokes returned to training following a disappointing Ashes tour in Australia, where England suffered a 4-1 series defeat.

The injury adds to a series of physical setbacks for Stokes, who has battled various issues in recent years. In 2024, he suffered two hamstring tears and was sidelined during England's home series against India due to a shoulder injury. Prior to that, he underwent knee surgery in 2023 after a prolonged period of discomfort.

Despite the injury, Stokes' return to training is encouraging for England fans. He is expected to take a few days off to recover from the bruising. His focus remains on Test cricket, and he is unlikely to participate in next month's Hundred auction. Stokes is expected to return to action in late May, as England prepares for the Test summer with a home series against New Zealand starting June 4.

The incident has occurred amidst scrutiny of Stokes' position as captain, which is currently under review by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). Despite the Ashes defeat, Stokes has publicly stated his commitment to continuing as captain until the end of next summer, as per his contract. Coach Brendon McCullum has defended Stokes, stating that some of the criticism directed at him has been "out of order".