Talismanic Stokes to have 'serious conversations' about knee surgery

England captain Ben Stokes is prepared to have "serious conversations" about an operation on his troublesome left knee as he eyes another tilt at the Ashes in 2025/26.

Stokes has been hampered by a chronic injury for the past year and has often been in evident pain during the ongoing series against Australia.

The all-rounder had hoped to play a full part with bat and ball but the usually lively swing bowler has been restricted to just 29 overs so far this Ashes and didn't bowl at all in the last two Tests.

With batting and fielding also testing his physical endurance, the 32-year-old accepts he cannot go on in the same way much longer and still perform at the highest level.

But this week's Ashes finale at The Oval -- which the hosts must win to square the series at 2-2 -- is also England's last Test for six months before a tour of India and that gap between red-ball matches could give Stokes time for an operation.

He had a cortisone injection ahead of this year's Indian Premier League to help manage his symptoms and, asked Wednesday on the eve of the Ashes finale, if he would now consider surgery as well, Stokes replied: "Yeah, it's something I obviously want to get sorted.

"The times I've seen specialists and stuff like that, there has been cricket around, so as it's been manageable we've just cracked on.

"I was pretty broken after the Lord's game (where his stunning 155 could not prevent Australia winning the second Test), but I still managed to walk out.

"I think this is a good time to have some serious conversations with medics around what I could potentially do to get a role in which I can bowl without having to worry about my knee. Those are conversations we will be able to have in that time off."

He added: "It has been