Ben Stokes has revealed he considers himself fortunate to still be alive following a frightening incident in February that left him with a fractured cheekbone.
The England Test captain sustained the injury when a cricket ball struck him directly in the face while he was working with young players at Durham's academy.
Stokes told the England and Wales Cricket Board: "I copped one straight in the face. Pretty nasty but, funnily, probably the best result of a bad situation, to be honest."
The 34-year-old all-rounder underwent what he described as "pretty major facial surgery" to repair the damage.
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"All things considered... I've got out quite lucky. So pretty thankful for that," he said, adding it had been "a pretty scary situation".
Stokes explained a split-second reaction may have prevented a far worse outcome.
Had the ball connected just slightly differently, the consequences could have been devastating.
He said: "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."
England captain Ben Stokes revealed significant facial injuries sustained after being struck by a cricket ball during a training session
| INSTAGRAMThe incident occurred while Stokes was standing at the side of the net during an indoor training session.
A ball driven by one of the youth players struck him with considerable force.
At the time, the England skipper shared a graphic photograph on social media showing a bloodied nose, heavy bruising around his right eye, and a visibly grazed cheek.
"It was a bit of a mess under here," Stokes said, gesturing to his cheekbone.
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|The injury disrupted Stokes's preparations for the new season by approximately a month to five weeks, forcing him to reassess his plans.
He said: "I just had to quickly go back to the drawing board and put a plan together to get me ready to play a couple of games for Durham before the Test summer starts."
The all-rounder has not featured in competitive cricket since England's Ashes campaign concluded in January, where he was also recovering from an abductor injury sustained during the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
However, Stokes confirmed he is now approaching the end of his rehabilitation and expects to return for Durham in the County Championship.
The incident occurred while Stokes was standing at the side of the net during an indoor training session
|GETTY
He is scheduled to play against Worcestershire on May 8, with a second county fixture also planned before international duties resume.
Stokes is set to captain England when they face New Zealand in the opening Test of the summer at Lord's on June 4, a date that coincides with his 35th birthday.
The three-match series against the Black Caps will be followed by another red-ball contest against Pakistan later in the summer, while India and Sri Lanka are scheduled for white-ball tours.
England will be seeking to recover from their disappointing winter campaign in Australia, where hopes of a first Ashes triumph since 2010/11 ended in a 4-1 defeat.
Stokes has indicated he and head coach Brendon McCullum will approach matters "in a slightly different way" this summer, although he dismissed suggestions of any rift between the pair.
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