The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced on Friday that star all-rounder Ben Stokes is taking an indefinite break from all forms of cricket to focus on his mental wellbeing while also recovering from a finger injury. Stokes is scheduled to miss the five-match Test series against India, which starts at Trent Bridge next week. Stokes is the latest high-profile star to step away from a sport to prioritise mental health. Recently, Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles also withdrew from international competition to focus on their mental wellbeing. England team managing director Ashley Giles, offering his support to Stokes, said the prolonged impact of playing international cricket in biosecure bubbles during the coronavirus pandemic had been "extremely challenging".

Source: Hindustan Times July 31, 2021 03:33 UTC