Ben Stokes: England man ‘devastated’ to miss Sri Lanka series

England all-rounder Ben Stokes says he is “devastated” to miss the rest of the series against Sri Lanka after undergoing knee surgery.

Stokes, 24, injured his left knee while bowling in the first-Test victory and has been ruled out for six weeks.

He suffered a cartilage tear Stokes says has been “an ongoing issue for two to three years” but which he has “managed to play through until now”.

Bowlers Reece Topley, David Willey and Mark Wood also remain sidelined.

Topley will miss the next three months with a stress fracture in the spine, Willey should return next month following an abdominal muscle tear and Wood will begin bowling again this week after ankle surgery.

Stokes will miss the remaining two Tests, five one day internationals and T20 international against Sri Lanka.

He is aiming to return to the England side in time to face Pakistan later this summer.

Warwickshire bowler Chris Woakes was named as Stokes’ replacement in the squad on Monday and celebrated his call-up with career-best figures of 9-36 against Durham.

Woakes will vie with pace bowler Jake Ball – who is yet to make his debut – for a place in the XI for Friday’s match at Chester-le-Street.

England will win the three-Test series with victory at Stokes’ home ground.

England squad for second Test v Sri Lanka: Cook (c), Hales, Compton, Root, Vince, Bairstow (wk), Moeen, Broad, Finn, Anderson, Woakes, Ball.