Ben Stokes ready to return for England's crunch World Cup clash with South Africa on Saturday, live on Sky Sports from 9am (9.30am first ball); Stokes missed first three games; England have lost two matches so far, beaten by New Zealand and Afghanistan
Friday 20 October 2023 07:40, UK
Ben Stokes has declared himself fit for England's crunch World Cup clash against South Africa on Saturday - after fearing his tournament was over when he first sustained his hip injury.
Stokes, who has come out of ODI retirement to try and help his country successfully defend the title they won on home soil in 2019, sat out the nine-wicket defeat to New Zealand, 137-run victory over Bangladesh, and then the 69-run loss to Afghanistan.
But the 32-year-old is set to return in Mumbai as England aim to kickstart their campaign.
Speaking to Sky Sports' Ian Ward, Stokes said: "It was a frustrating niggle but I have recovered well and quite quickly and I think I am in a position now to be available for selection.
"It happened in the gym. At the time of doing it I thought my World Cup was over as it made a horrible noise. Thankfully we got the results back pretty quick and it wasn't as bad as we thought.
"It is not a major injury, just very restrictive in certain moments. The last week was about pushing myself while it was also healing.
"It's always frustrating when you can't have any impact on the game. It was a different perspective for me, mixing the drinks with a bib on!
"When you are focused on making sure the lads are all alright, you don't tend to take too much in of the game.
"There is a bit of frustration but you are in a World Cup and everyone is going to lose games. From here on in it's about what we do against South Africa and then the rest of the tournament.
"We are chilled, there is no panic, hopefully we can put things right."
England head coach Matthew Mott called Stokes the side's "spiritual leader" earlier this week after the Test captain spoke to the group following their defeat to Afghanistan in Delhi.
Stokes played the key innings as England won the 2019 World Cup final at Lord's and last year's T20 World Cup final in Melbourne, while his stunning 135 not out at Headingley in 2019 saw his team to a dramatic one-wicket Ashes victory.
Stokes added: "I think Motty might look back and change his choice of words! Maybe he said it because we are in India.
"Being a senior player, I try to speak as much as I can when the time is right. If I need to speak I will but I won't speak for speaking's sake.
"I noticed that the lads were a bit deflated, and not just because it was Afghanistan, so I just said what's gone has happened and that we need to move on against South Africa. I tried to come at it from an emotional point of view.
"Be ourselves, be England, be confident that no one will have a go at you for failing in what you want to do. It is about reinforcing the message of trying to impose yourself with ball or bat.
"Saying 'go out, go harder' is a bit simple. A lot goes into our cricket - it's the way you assert yourself at the crease with the bat or running in with the ball. It's about not being stuck and putting pressure back on the opposition however you feel like you can do that.
"We know when we are good that teams fear us. That is not arrogant, it's just we know what we are good at. When we are good, we know we are very good.
"I am a very small part in a bigger engine. We have the 15 best players in the country and we all have our own individual characteristics that we add to this team.
"I am a part of that but everyone on their given day can do just as good a job as me. If two or three of us have one of our good days we know we will be a very hard team to beat.
"I'm not the messiah as Woody [Mark Wood] pointed out. I am just going to wear the England shirt with pride and give everything like I always do."
Sky Sports Cricket's Michael Atherton:
"Our understanding was that Stokes was very close to fitness for the Afghanistan game but that England were being understandably cautious. He now has to play against South Africa if he is fit.
"He is right that he is not the messiah, he can't just turn it around himself, but he is a very big presence and England are a better team with him in it. The last time he played in ODI cricket he got England's highest score [182 against New Zealand at The Kia Oval last month].
"I am certain in my mind that I would also play Harry Brook so the problem England have to solve is on the balance of the side.
"Do they play Liam Livingstone at No 7 as one of five bowlers with Joe Root as the sixth bowler or do they pick two out-and-out-bowlers alongside Reece Topley, Adil Rashid and Mark Wood?
"The form of Chris Woakes and Sam Curran is a real concern and they are both very vulnerable.
"Curran is going at over eight an over, Woakes at seven and a half runs an over and they have only taken a couple of wickets each. Curran has been expensive in the middle overs and Woakes in the powerplay, leaving England chasing the game."
Watch England vs South Africa live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 9am on Saturday (first ball at 9.30am). You can also stream the game with NOW.
Follow the match across skysports.com and the Sky Sports App with a live over-by-over text blog and in-game video clips.
