Ben Stokes’ damaged left hamstring will require surgery in the new year, it was confirmed on Monday following an appointment with a specialist.
Stokes, 33, underwent scans while visiting a consultant in Leeds which confirmed a tear and will now undergo surgery in January.
The news comes just a day after it was revealed that the England Test captain would miss both the limited-overs tour of India from January 17 and the Champions Trophy in February and March.
He is expected to be sidelined for three months – a schedule that does not rule him out of any Test action.
England’s next Test match, a four-match match against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge in late May, will be followed by a five-match home series against India and an attempt to win their first Ashes away in 15 years in late 2025.
The rehabilitation period should ensure Stokes is fully fit for the start of the home international summer, and despite being struck by the injury twice since August, he insists he will not back down in his bid to emerge as a true all-rounder for operate on those two. seismic assignments.
After initially playing a Hundred match for Northern Superchargers in Manchester, the misfortune was repeated in the third Test in Hamilton at the end of England’s 2-1 win over New Zealand last week.