Ben Stokes has decided to withdraw from The Hundred to prioritize England’s Ashes campaign later this year. The 33-year-old all-rounder was set to play for the Northern Superchargers but opted out after consulting with head coach Andrew Flintoff, according to ESPN Cricinfo.
Stokes is currently dealing with a hamstring injury, initially sustained during a domestic tournament and later aggravated in England’s Test series against New Zealand. Given his history of injuries, he has chosen to manage his workload ahead of what promises to be a crucial Ashes series in Australia.
England, who have not held the Ashes urn in nearly a decade, will face a tough challenge when they travel Down Under for the five-match series starting in November. Before that, they will host India in a five-Test series, a contest Stokes hopes to take part in.
Brendon McCullum’s side will rely heavily on Stokes’ ability to contribute with both bat and ball, something that has been compromised in recent times due to his fitness struggles.
With Stokes absent from The Hundred, the Northern Superchargers will turn to Harry Brook as their centrally contracted player, valued at almost $400,000 AUD. The squad also features Colin Ingram, Adil Rashid, and Australian all-rounder Matt Short, with the tournament kicking off in August.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Stay ahead of the latest cricket industry trends by subscribing to our free cricexec “daily briefing” newsletter.
