England's captain, Ben Stokes, has reassured fans about his fitness ahead of the second Test against New Zealand in Wellington, set to begin on Friday. This follows a minor back issue during England’s dominant eight-wicket victory in the first Test at Christchurch’s Hagley Oval.

Having missed four Tests earlier in the year and undergoing knee surgery in late 2023, Stokes’ injury management remains crucial to England’s plans.

Stokes, who missed several Tests earlier this year due to a hamstring tear, caused concern when he handed the ball to Gus Atkinson after experiencing discomfort in his seventh over. Despite this, he stayed on the field until the end of New Zealand’s innings and downplayed the severity of the issue post-match.

After bowling 19.3 overs across both innings – his highest workload since England’s tour of Pakistan in 2022 – Stokes explained that his decision to hand the ball over was more about managing his body ahead of the next Test.

"I’ve not spent much time out in the middle recently. It’s been a heavy week: a lot of time in the field and bowling 20 overs. I hurt my back diving for a ball as well," Stokes said during the post-match presentation.

Stokes also emphasized that his cautious approach was simply a way to manage his workload, with England in a commanding position. "With where we were in the game, it didn’t feel necessary to eke out any more balls than I needed to. I think the body is going to be good for this outing, and I’m raring to go for Wellington."