Ben Stokes out of The Hundred 2022 to manage workload

England all-rounder Ben Stokes is set to opt out of the upcoming edition of The Hundred to manage his workload.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have announced the white-ball squads for the South Africa series. Stokes has been rested for the T20I series but he will feature in the one-day international series that starts next week.

Stokes was due to play for Northern Superchargers in the tournament, which starts on August 3. The England Test skipper had represented Northern Superchargers in two games in The Hundred last year before taking a break from all forms of the game.

ECB confirms Stokes' unavailability for The Hundred 

"To manage the workload and fitness of England Men's Test captain Ben Stokes, he will not feature in the Vitality IT20 series and The Hundred competition, which is due to start next month," said ECB in a statement.

The charismatic all-rounder struggled with a knee problem during England's tour of the West Indies in March earlier this year. However, the scan showed no new injury, but the Durham-based cricketer missed the start of the County Championship season as he attempted to manage the issue so that he could be fit for the Test series against New Zealand.

But it is a hugely significant blow for the tournament as well as for the Superchargers that one of the biggest names in English cricket will not take part in the competition this year.