Ben Stokes found himself on the receiving end of a brutal black eye, breaking what is considered a cardinal rule for a cricket coach. The England cricket star shared a photo on Instagram displaying his severely bruised eye, facial scratches, and a bandaged nose, humorously remarking, “You should see the state of the cricket ball.”
The cause of Stokes’ injuries was revealed as he was coaching academy players in Durham when a ball struck him, leading to a trip to the hospital. Durham coach Ryan Campbell disclosed that Stokes acknowledged breaking the top coaching rule by turning his back on the batter, Robbie Bowman, who hit the ball causing the mishap.
Despite his facial injuries, Stokes is recuperating from a groin injury sustained during the Ashes Test and is eyeing a return to action for Durham ahead of England’s upcoming Test against Australia in June. Stokes, who has made 120 Test appearances for England, is contracted until the conclusion of the 2027 Ashes series and is anticipated to transition into coaching post-retirement.