Seamer all-rounder Ben Stokes has made himself unavailable for next year’s IPL in order to manage his fitness and workload.
Chennai Super Kings, who had roped in the England Test captain during the auction ahead of this year’s IPL for Rs 16.25 crore, made the announcement on their social media handle on Thursday.
The reigning IPL champions though are “supportive” of Stokes’ decision.
“The Chennai Super Kings management is supportive of Ben in his decision to manage his workload with England playing a 5-Test series in India before the IPL and then the T20 World Cup in June 2024,” the Super Kings said in a statement.
Now, will the Super Kings wait for Stokes till IPL 2025 or release him? A decision will be taken soon after consulting captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
“We’ll decide that by tomorrow (Friday) or day after. We’ll talk to our skipper first and then take a call,” Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan told The Telegraph.
Being the Super Kings’ most expensive buy, Stokes could play in just two matches in the last IPL, scoring only 15 runs and bowling just an over.
Stokes’ decision is understandable as England are scheduled for a long tour of India in early 2024, where they play five Tests from late January to March. It’s quite obvious that Stokes, who came out of ODI retirement and played as a specialist batsman in the recently-concluded World Cup because of his dodgy left knee, would be more than eager to feature in the India Tests and contribute with the ball as well.
But prior to that, he would be undergoing knee surgery, which he had said during the World Cup. Stokes’ return to action will be determined by his recovery.
The much-awaited series would also be a massive test for Bazball, which has earned England success in the longest format since last year, in India’s spin-friendly conditions. And Stokes, given his ability with the bat, will be central to Bazball’s success against the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja.
There won’t be enough time between the end of the India-England Tests and the start of IPL 2024. The T20 World Cup then begins on June 4, just a few days after the IPL season ends.
