IPL 2024: Ben Stokes to miss next year’s IPL, will focus on Test series against India

England test captain and all-rounder Ben Stokes has decided to not attend IPL 2023 to manage his workload and fitness. The 32-year-old Ben Stokes became a part of the Chennai Super Kings ahead of the successful IPL 2023. He recently took part in the ODI World Cup 2023, which he came out of retirement for.

“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,” CSK said in a statement.

Stokes who was picked by CSK for ₹16.25 crore in the last year’s auction, could participate in only 2 games in 2023 after suffering a toe injury. He played purely as a batter for England in the ongoing ICC Men’s World Cup.

He is all ready to undergo knee surgery as he aims to regain fitness for the upcoming Test series against India, starting January 24. England will play 5 Test in India with the final match scheduled from March 7 to 11. IPL 2023 is likely to be held from the last week of March to May.

“Considering that the T20 World Cup is slated in the West Indies and the United States from June 4 to June 30, the hectic itinerary could mean that Stokes will find it very difficult to stay in India for the better part of the first five months of the year,” an IPL source in the know of things told PTI on conditions of anonymity.

Ben Stokes Opens on His ODI Retirement After England vs Pakistan World Cup 2023

If Stokes gets the release, CSK will have ₹16.25 crores freed for the auction and they could go whole hog for either spin-bowling all-rounder Rachin Ravindra or pace-bowling all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai of Afghanistan.