England's Ben Stokes is all set for a return to competitive cricket. The star all-rounder pulled out of now-suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 after a fracture to his left index finger. He underwent successful surgery. (More Cricket News)
According to reports, Stokes is set to play his first T20 Blast game for nearly three years next week. The 30-year-old last played in Durham's quarter-final defeat to Sussex in 2018.
His comeback is yet to be confirmed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB). But he could target as early as June 11 date for return in Durham's match against Yorkshire in North Group at Chester-le-Street. Durham play Leicester on June 13, followed by fixtures against Nottinghamshire on June 15 and Lancashire on June 17.
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England will hope for a fully-fit Stokes when they host India in a five-match Test series, starting August 4 at Trent Bridge, Nottingham.
Before the India series, England stars will be seen in the inaugural 'The Hundred' season, which starts on July 21.
Stokes is one of the IPL players who have been 'rested' from the ongoing Test series against New Zealand. But a number of England players including Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Adil Rashid are likely to feature in the Blast.
Stoke had in fact revealed that his recovery is going well and he's "thinking about playing in a match again."
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"I am able to bowl, I am able to get in the gym and I am able to hit some balls again so I am at an exciting point of my recovery where full-on training is not that far away and then I can start thinking about playing in a match again," he wrote in his Mirror column last week.
England will take on New Zealand in the second Test match at Edgbaston, Birmingham, starting June 10. They played out a draw in Lord's, in London.
