England all-rounder Ben Stokes could skip this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), said reports on Monday.
Stokes is likely to join his skipper Joe Root in helping his side recover from the Ashes debacle.
“Root opted not to put his name forward for next month’s ‘mega auction’, saying after England’s Ashes defeat that ‘there’s a lot that we need to do for this team, which deserves all of my energy’,” quoted Daily Mail.
However, Root has never played in the cash-rich Indian Premier League but could be in the eyes of many franchise if he steps in the auction.
“It is understood Stokes — Root’s vice-captain — may decide to throw his energies into helping England’s Test team recover from the trauma of their 4-0 Ashes defeat, having himself spent time last year out of the game to look after his mental wellbeing and injured finger,” it said.
“Since England’s 3-Test series in the Caribbean is due to end on March 28, his participation in the IPL would mean virtual non-stop cricket from late February through to the spring of 2023, with fixtures cancelled during the pandemic squeezed into a busy winter later this year.”
