England’s star all-rounder Ben Stokes has taken an indefinite break from the sport in order to focus on his mental well-being. The all-rounder has also withdrawn from the upcoming home Test series against India, which is scheduled to kickstart on August 04.
The news of the same was confirmed by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) via their official social media handles as they revealed that the all-rounder will take an indefinite break from all forms of cricket with immediate effect to “prioritize his mental well-being”
Meanwhile, as the news broke, fans flooded social media with their reactions to it. Several celebrities and cricketers also came out in support of the cricketer as he took a bold step. Among many, Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone also took to her Instagram and joined the chorus of celebrity voices speaking out in support of mental health.
Deepika Padukone, who has been a long-time advocate of the importance of focusing on mental health, Deepika lauded the decision of the England all-rounder. She took to her Instagram and shared a news article on the cricketer. Sharing the news piece, Deepika emphasized the importance of focusing on mental health and wrote: “#MENTALHEALTHMATTERS”.
Here, check out her Instagram story:
As per the official statement of the ECB, Ben Stokes will be replaced by Somerset’s Craig Overton for the upcoming Test series against India. The ECB statement read:
“Ben Stokes has withdrawn from England’s Test squad ahead of the Test series against India starting next week to prioritise his mental wellbeing and to rest his left index finger, which has not fully healed since his return to competitive cricket earlier this month,”
It added: “The ECB fully supports Ben’s decision, and we will continue to help him during this period away from the game,”
