Ben Stokes Reveals Father’s Brain Cancer Diagnosis as Reason for Missing Pakistan Tests

Ace England all-rounder Ben Stokes revealed that his father Gerard being diagnosed with brain cancer was the main reason he pulled out of the last two Tests against Pakistan earlier this month. Stokes said that his head ‘wasn’t really in it’ when he found out the diagnosis and that pulling out of the series made sense for him at the time. He had cited personal reasons at the time.

ALSO READ – ‘Hardik Pandya Not in Top 10 in Any Format’: Irfan Pathan on Youngsters’ Comparison to Ben Stokes

“I didn’t sleep for a week and my head wasn’t really in it,” England vice-captain Stokes told the Weekend Herald about his last Test appearance. “Leaving (the team) was the right choice from a mental point of view.”

Speaking about his father, Stokes said: “He was tough (on me). But as I got older, I realised it was all for a reason. He knew I wanted to be a professional sportsman and he was drilling that into me as I started to make a career in cricket. “His reputation sort of speaks for itself. You speak to anyone who knows him, played with him or worked with him, they’d all say the same thing.

“Most people acquire a softer side with age and sometimes with dad that has been quite weird to see. What he’s going through has brought that side out as well – we all knew he had it, he just didn’t show it that often.”

Ged Stokes, 64, also spoke on his diagnoses. “They had to assess how I travelled (to South Africa) and from that, they discovered I had a couple of tumors on my brain as well.

ALSO READ – I Think Sky’s the Limit for Him, Says Joe Root on ‘Mr Incredible’ Ben Stokes

“So, basically brain cancer. How that came about nobody knows but obviously I’ve had a few bangs on my head through my life so that’s probably contributed to it.”