England captain Ben Stokes says he “doesn’t hold back” from bowling despite suffering his second hamstring injury in five months.
Stokes, 33, trudged off the field on the third day of the 423-run defeat to New Zealand in the third Test in Hamilton. He will have an examination on Wednesday.
The 23 overs that Stokes bowled on day one were the most he had bowled in a single day. His 36.2 overs in a match is his most in over two years, while 66.1 in a series is Stokes’ most as captain.
“Of course I’m very disappointed, but after every defeat I come back stronger,” Stokes told BBC Sport.
“There is no doubt that I will leave here for work [hard] like I always do and I’m back to where I was in this game.
Throughout 2023, Stokes’ bowling was hampered by a long-term problem with his left knee, for which he underwent surgery a year ago.
Then in August he suffered his first hamstring problem while playing for The Hundred, causing the Durham player to miss three Tests against Sri Lanka and one in Pakistan.
Stokes admitted that the effort he put into preparing for the last two Tests in Pakistan had taken a toll on him mentally, but he recalled his best results in New Zealand, the country of his birth.
At Hamilton he scored a third on the third day before stopping in the next race. He left the pitch with emotion and played no further role in the match. It was initially thought that the test would be performed before the fourth day, but it was postponed until after the test.
