Ben Stokes recalls fearing for life after choking on tablet

PTI, Nov 29, 2021, 10:59 AM IST

England all-rounder Ben Stokes has revealed that a tablet taken wrongly caused him to ”choke horribly” and fear for his life ahead of the first Ashes Test against Australia here from December 8. Stokes is making a comeback to international cricket after taking a long break to address his mental well being and rest his left index finger which was fractured.

In his column for ‘The Daily Mirror’, Stokes wrote about his frightening experience but doesn’t mention when and where the incident took place. ”It was actually down to a simple tablet that went down the wrong way and got stuck in my windpipe causing me to choke horribly before the glands in my face went into overdrive to flush it out,” Stokes wrote.

”Until it actually came out, I thought this might be the end. We’ve all had those moments when something gets stuck in the throat, and usually someone can help you out.

”But I was on my own in my room and I couldn’t breathe as it became lodged and started to dissolve… it was a genuinely frightening experience. ”The team doctor came to see me straight away and she explained what had happened with the body reacting the way it did. I’m glad it did, even though I was a mess.” Ashley Giles, managing director of England men’s cricket, is confident that Stokes will be ready for the first Test.

”I’m hopeful and I’d always like to be confident, but we’ve got to treat Ben carefully, as we would anyone else who’s been in that position, of not having a lot of cricket under their belts. But he’ll be a difficult man to hold back if he’s ready to go,” he said.