Ben Stokes ruled out for three months after fracturing his finger, will require surgery soon: ECB

Rajasthan Royals and England all-rounder Ben Stokes has been ruled out for three months after fracturing his finger while playing against Punjab Kings.

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Stokes sustained the injury during Rajasthan Royals’ opening match against Punjab Kings on Monday while taking a catch to get the wicket of Chris Gayle. After dropping a catch earlier in the match against PBKS, Stokes ran hard from long-on and dived forward in a bid to complete the catch to dismiss Gayle. However, he immediately felt discomfort in his left hand.

However, the all-rounder continued to play the match and even came to open the ball but ended up with a three-ball duck. Rajasthan Royals fell five-run short in their 222-run chase.

Stokes underwent X-Ray and CT scan on Thursday where the England Cricket Board (ECB) revealed the extent of the injury. According to a statement by ECB, Stokes will fly home for surgery in Leeds on Monday.

England's home test series against New Zealand begins on June 2, meaning Stokes is unlikely to be fit in time.

Earlier, Stokes' IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals released a statement: "Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Ben Stokes injured a finger on his left hand while fielding during the team's match against Punjab Kings on 12 April 2021 in Mumbai. Subsequent investigations revealed that he sustained a broken finger, which will, unfortunately, rule him out of the remainder of the Indian Premier League 2021 season."

"Everyone at Rajasthan Royals absolutely admires Ben for being such a huge asset and a valuable member of the Royals family, both on and off the field, and wishes him a speedy recovery. We are delighted that Ben would like to stay with the group to provide his valued support and inputs off the field. In the meantime, we will be reviewing potential replacement options for the remainder of the season."

(Inputs from Reuters)