Ben Stokes will not participate in this summer’s Hundred cricket tournament as he focuses on fitness ahead of the pivotal Ashes series in Australia, which is crucial for his captaincy. After consulting with Northern Superchargers’ coach Andrew Flintoff, Stokes decided to prioritize recovery from a left hamstring surgery he underwent after recurring injuries from 2024. His absence, while a setback for the Hundred, is seen as wise ahead of the Test series against India and the Ashes starting on November 21. Harry Brook will replace Stokes for the Superchargers, who are also making new signings and retaining players.
Ben Stokes will not participate in the Hundred this summer as he focuses on managing his fitness in preparation for an Ashes series in Australia that will be pivotal for his England captaincy.
Sources at ESPNcricinfo have confirmed that Stokes made this decision after discussing his future commitments with Andrew Flintoff, who became the men’s coach for the Northern Superchargers last year. Currently, he is on the mend after undergoing surgery for his left hamstring, an injury he initially sustained while playing for the Superchargers last August and then re-injured during the third Test against New Zealand in December.
The Hundred is set to kick off on August 5, just a day after England’s five-match Test series against India concludes. With the Ashes series beginning in Perth on November 21, Stokes has opted to preserve his fitness for these upcoming challenges.
This cautious approach from Stokes is understandable. The original hamstring tear, which occurred when he was batting for the Superchargers against Manchester Originals in his third appearance of the 2024 season, resulted in him missing three Test matches against Sri Lanka and the first of three against Pakistan earlier in the winter.
After putting himself through a demanding recovery process—so much so that he felt he had to apologize to his teammates for causing them to “tread on eggshells” around him—a further setback while bowling in New Zealand led to another three-month layoff. This also caused him to miss out on a lucrative contract with MI Cape Town in the SA20 league.
This news is likely to be well-received by Test cricket fans, especially with England’s aim to reclaim the urn in Australia. A significant portion of their success during that tour, and in the summer series against India, will depend on Stokes’ capability to perform as a fully operational allrounder, a role he successfully returned to at the beginning of last summer following effective knee surgery at the end of 2023. He is expected to be fit for the start of the season, leading up to England’s one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge, which starts on May 22.
The absence of a player of Stokes’ caliber will be a setback for the Hundred in this transitional year, especially following the recent valuation of its eight teams at a collective £975 million. The Superchargers are set to be acquired by the Sun Group, owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad, who will gain 100% control of the franchise after Yorkshire opted to sell their stake. Harry Brook, who captained the Superchargers last year, will step in as their designated centrally-contracted player for the 2025 season, on a contract now valued at £200,000. Sources indicate that Stokes will maintain a close relationship with the franchise, which hopes to retain his services in the future.
This year, the Superchargers have appointed a new director of cricket, with Mickey Arthur taking over from Marcus North, and are expected to announce the direct signing of South Africa’s David Miller on Tuesday as part of their retained players from last year. Graham Clark, the Durham batter, has also been confirmed as retained following his successful stint in the Bangladesh Premier League last month.
