LONDON (AP) — England test captain Ben Stokes has undergone surgery on his left knee.

Stokes posted on his social media accounts a picture of himself on crutches outside Cromwell Hospital in London, saying in a caption Wednesday that he had the operation and “rehab starts now.”

“In and out,” he wrote.

Stokes said during the recently completed Cricket World Cup that he would be having surgery after the tournament in an effort to be fit for England’s five-test tour of India, which starts Jan. 25. He also wants to play a part in England’s title defense of the Twenty20 World Cup in the United States and the Caribbean in June.

Stokes wants to be back playing as an allrounder. He barely bowled during this year's Ashes because of his longstanding knee problem and was only used as a batter in the World Cup.

Stokes has made himself unavailable for the Chennai Super Kings in the 2024 Indian Premier League, which runs from March to May, to manage his workload and fitness.

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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket