Watch: Ben Stokes Hits The Stumps As He Returns To Training In Christchurch
Ben Stokes had to return home to New Zealand midway through England's series with Pakistan to attend to his ailing father.
Highlights
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Ben Stokes returned to the training ground in Christchurch
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Stokes posted a video of himself bowling in the nets
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Stokes is likely to miss the first half of the IPL 2020
England all-rounder Ben Stokes, who is currently is in New Zealand, returned to the training ground and posted a video of himself bowling in the nets. Sharing the video, England's World Cup winning star turned nostalgic as Christchurch was the place where it all started for him and he began learning cricket traits during his foundation years. In the video, Stokes was right on the money as he bowled accurate line and length and the ball crashed onto the stumps after the batsman played the wrong line. "Been great being in Christchurch we're it all began for me. thanks to @sydenhamcricket for letting me use their facilities to bowl in..unlucky today @nick.smithson.7," Stokes wrote on Instagram.
Stokes had left the United Kingdom in the middle of the Pakistan Test series and flew to New Zealand to be with his father Ged who was diagnosed with brain cancer.
After landing in New Zealand, Stokes had to undergo a mandatory 14-day quarantine before he could meet his father. As per a PTI report, Stokes, who plays for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League (IPL), is likely to miss the first half of the tournament which kick-starts in the UAE on September 19.
While there are clouds of uncertainty over Stokes' availability for this year's IPL, Rajasthan Royals head coach Andrew McDonald said that they are ready to give their star all-rounder "as much time as he needs" and respect his privacy.
McDonald also said that he "doesn't want to second-guess what will happen with him" just yet and will make a call depending on how things pan out.
The IPL 2020 will be played in the UAE from September 19 to November 10 and the tournament will run for 53 days. Rajasthan Royals will face Chennai Super Kings in their opening game on September 22.
(With PTI, ANI inputs)
England Cricket Team
Rajasthan Royals
Ben Stokes