Ben Stokes skipping IPL to manage workload and fitness

England's Test captain has made himself unavailable for Chennai Super Kings for next season's competition, but the defending champions have not declared whether they will release Stokes ahead of the IPL auction

Nick Howson | 23/11/2023 at 13:11

Ben Stokes will miss next year's Indian Premier League to prioritise his workload and fitness.

England Men's Test captain played just twice last term for Chennai Super Kings - he joined for 16.25 crore (£1.62 million) during the player auction - who scooped their fifth title in 2023.

CSK have not confirmed if they plan to release the 32-year-old allrounder with the deadline to confirm retentions on Sunday (November 26) looming.

But a statement confirming the news stated they were "supportive" of the decision.

"England Test captain, all-rounder Ben Stokes has made himself unavailable for IPL 2024 to manage his workload and fitness," said IPL holders.

"Stokes, 32, became a part of the Super Kings ahead of the successful IPL 2023.

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^{Stokes featured just twice for CSK in 2023 (R.SATISH BABU/AFP via Getty Images)}

"He recently participated 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."

Stokes is due to undergo surgery to treat a long-running chronic knee injury and hopes to be fit in time for England's five-Test tour of India which begins in late January and runs until mid-March.

He came out of one-day international retirement to play in the recently-concluded 50-over Cricket World Cup, featuring in six of the nine group matches, and is likely to be part of England's T20 title defence in the West Indies and United States next June.

The tournament comes amid a busy English summer which sees Pakistan, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Australia tour for bilateral series.