Ben Stokes goes through intense knee surgery ahead of India vs England Test series; shares pic

In an effort to get healthy before his tour of India in January, Ben Stokes has confirmed that he had a successful surgery on his chronic left knee injury. The captain of England's test team announced on social media that "rehab starts now" and that he had been "In and out" of London's Cromwell Hospital.

3 Things you need to know

• Ben Stokes has opted out of upcoming season of IPL
• Stokes was part of England's World Cup squad
• Ben Stokes leads England in Test cricket format

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Ben Stokes goes through intense surgery

Stokes stated last month during the World Cup that he would have surgery when he returned home, but he had to wait for the highly regarded surgeon Andy Williams—who has operated on cricket players including Chris Woakes—to become available. He returned from the World Cup on November 12, but the surgery could not be scheduled until the final week. It is believed that on Wednesday, when he made a social media post, the procedure did not occur.

After the competition, Stokes told Sky, "That would be ideal [to have the operation as soon as he got home]." "Unfortunately, highly skilled professionals are often extremely busy individuals when you visit them."

In the past, Stokes has called the procedure "a clean-out" and expressed the hope that it would put his body "in a much better position than it has been in the last 18 months."

In preparation for the India tour, Stokes will now start his recuperation in earnest. It seems improbable that he will bowl much, if at all, during the five-Test series that kicks off on January 25 in Hyderabad.

"After the World Cup, I should be able to play the Tests," he remarked. "Away from cricket, I have worked really hard to give myself the best chance of a speedy recovery. The most important thing right now, with Christmas and everything approaching, is to get the knee well so that I can go into the Test series with all of my might.

Stokes only bowled in two of England's six Test matches this summer. However, he hopes to return as a fully functional all-rounder in the summer of 2024 after withdrawing from the Indian Premier League with Chennai Super Kings in order to focus on his fitness.

September: “I'll be making sure I'm giving myself the best chance I can playing the next two to three years as an all-rounder, so I'll be doing some more intensive work from now until summer next year.”