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XtraTime Web Desk: England’s World Cup winning all rounder Ben Stokes, who returned to his hometown Christchurch on Friday to be by the side of his ailing father didn’t sleep for a week after hearing the news. Stokes’ father Gerald is diagnosed with brain cancer.

New Zealand-born Stokes said he had no choice but to leave the England team during its recent Test series against Pakistan after learning of his 64-year-old father's diagnosis.

"I didn't sleep for a week and my head wasn't really in it," Stokes told the Weekend Herald Saturday. "Leaving was the right choice from a mental point of view."

Gerald’s illness was diagnosed in January when he returned to Christchurch from South Africa where he had been watching England's four-Test series against South Africa. He had to be admitted in a hospital in Johannesburg with bleeding on the brain just before England's Boxing Day Test. Ben Stokes was aware his father was seriously ill when he made 120 against South Africa in the third Test at Port Elizabeth, which England won by an innings and 53 runs.

Stokes said his father has had a strong influence on his career."He was tough," he said. "But as I got older I realised it was all for a reason. He knew I wanted to be a professional sportsman and he was drilling that into me as I started to make a career in cricket."