England Test captain Ben Stokes has admitted he feels lucky to be alive after suffering a broken cheekbone and other facial injuries when he was struck by a cricket ball in February.

The accident occurred during a training session when Stokes was coaching Durham’s academy players, and surgery was required.

The all-rounder described the incident as “pretty scary,” acknowledging the outcome could have been far more severe.

Speaking in an interview with the England and Wales Cricket Board, the 34-year-old recounted the moment.

“I copped one straight in the face,” he explained. “Pretty nasty but, funnily, probably the best result of a bad situation, to be honest. Just a couple of inches one way or the other, I might not be here doing this interview, if I didn’t turn my head round.”

Despite requiring “pretty major facial surgery” to address the damage, Stokes expressed gratitude for his recovery.

“All things considered… I’ve got out quite lucky. So pretty thankful for that,” he stated.

The injury caused a setback of around a “month, five weeks” to his pre-season preparations, forcing him to revise his plans for the start of the season with Durham.

Stokes is now on track to feature in two County Championship matches next month, a crucial step before he is expected to lead England in their first Test of the summer.

He concluded his reflection on the ordeal, stating: “At the back end of all that now but it was a pretty scary situation. Thankfully still here and everything’s all right.”

Stokes is anticipated to captain England against New Zealand at Lord’s, starting on June 4, as the team aims to rebound from their Ashes defeat over the winter.

England entered the series with high hopes of winning Down Under for the first time since 2010/11, but crumbled to a 4-1 loss.