By Niharika Raina London 23rd August : England Test captain Ben Stokes said his participation in next year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) will be contingent on what the playing schedule in lieu of international cricket is as well as calling the league of 10 teams “an incredible event to be an integral member of.”
The team was now defunct.Rising Pune Supergiant, Stokes was the IPL’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 2017, scoring 316 runs and taking 12 wickets in several matches.He was the highest priced player in the auction for players in 2018 in which Rajasthan Royals bought him for INR 12.5 crores.In his 31 appearances with Rajasthan, Stokes was able to register only one fifty, and he picked up 16 wickets.
Stokes injured his left hand after he dropped an off-target in the thick in his sole appearance in IPL 2021 for Rajasthan.The injury would hinder him from being out of playing, with Stokes being off the sport for four months for psychological health reasons.
After returning to the sport during the 2021-22 Ashes in Australia, Stokes chose not to sign up for the 2022 IPL mega auction.
“Our schedule as England cricketers is extremely packed.
We appear to be on the field all year round.This is because our summer is the winter of everyone else and when winter rolls around, it’s the summer of everyone else.We are getting people to come to us and we’re taking them to cricket players.It’s a matter of taking a look at the schedule, and looking ahead, and seeing what we’ve to offer in the near future.
“But as I’ve made it clear, Test match cricket will be at the top of my thoughts and every one of my decisions will be made on Test matches, clearly with the captaincy responsibilities to ensure that.My commitment to the game outside of international cricket will be based solely on the schedule and the international cricket is in the near future,” said Stokes in an exclusive virtual media interaction prior to the release of the launch of his documentary “Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes’.
In a glowing review of the IPL and the exposure it offers players, Stokes remarked, “I have played in the IPL for four years.It’s a fantastic event to be part of.It’s not just about the excitement of the IPL but also for the chance to work with some of the top players across the globe and also some of the best coaches we get to participate with.
“It’s simply an amazing experience to be a part of in.However, as I mentioned there’s a schedule that you can study and explore the time frame in which the IPL is reflected in.”
(Ben Stokes: Phoenix from the Ashes debuts on Prime Video on Friday, August 26)
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