Ben Stokes, England's Test captain, has undergone successful surgery on his broken cheek, an injury sustained while coaching Durham's academy. The 34-year-old was struck by a ball hit by a batter as he stood beside the nets last week. Stokes shared a photo of his swollen face on Instagram, captioned with a reassuring message: 'May not look like it, but the surgery was a success.' Despite this positive outcome, the return to cricket remains uncertain. Stokes is set to join the England Lions' coaching staff for their upcoming series against Pakistan Shaheens in the United Arab Emirates. England's next Test match is against New Zealand on June 4th, marking the start of a three-match series. Stokes has been absent from the cricket field since the Ashes in Sydney, where he suffered an adductor injury on the penultimate day, leading to a 4-1 loss for England and significant criticism of the team's performance, preparation, and culture.
