3 reasons why Ben Stokes missing the IPL is not bad news
After being on the receiving end of an Ashes drubbing, England captain Joe Root stated that he will not be taking part in the IPL 2022 Auction. England's ace all-rounder Ben Stokes is expected to follow in his captain's footsteps and opt-out of the marquee tournament.
Stokes is one of the biggest names in the Indian Premier League. He played for the Rising Pune Supergiants in 2017 before being snapped up by the Rajasthan Royals after two seasons.
However, Stokes played just one game in the IPL last season before suffering a finger injury. The Rajasthan all-rounder also missed the second leg of the season after announcing a sabbatical from cricket to prioritize his mental health.
All the IPL teams have now announced their retentions for the upcoming season. In a slightly surprising turn of events, the Rajasthan Royals elected not to retain Ben Stokes.
The Durham all-rounder has decided not to go under the auction hammer for the 2022 IPL season. While a player of his caliber will undoubtedly be a huge miss for the cash-rich league, we take a look at three reasons why Stokes missing out on the IPL might be for the best.
#1 Ben Stokes' absence allows other players to come to the fore
Ben Stokes is regarded as one of the greatest all-rounders in the modern game. However, the all-rounder's numbers in the league have flattered to deceive. In 43 IPL matches, Stokes has scored 920 runs at an average of around 25 and a strike rate of almost 135. The all-rounder has also notched up 28 wickets with a respectable economy rate of 8.56.
While his numbers hold him in decent stead, there could be an argument that the sides might spend too much of their budget on the England all-rounder. Now that Stokes is out of the picture, franchises will need to turn their heads to look for another high-caliber all-rounder.
While the likes of Sam Curran and Mitchell Marsh are well-known players, the door could be open for someone like Odean Smith to make his first appearance in the grand league. After all, the Indian Premier League is where talent meets opportunity.
#2 Ben Stokes' lack of availability
BREAKING: England's star all-rounder Ben Stokes has taken an indefinite break from all cricket with immediate effect. https://t.co/lcQSAMYUGt
It's a well-known fact that the England players are usually not available for the entire course of a season. We have often seen England players leave their franchises in the middle of the season due to their international commitments.
While there is no argument that national duty takes preference, the franchises that opt to spend the big bucks on these players are often left high and dry in these situations. The situation is worsened if they don't sign capable backups.
Keeping in mind the fact that there are two new teams added this season, the 10-team IPL is expected to go on until the month of June.
Plenty of international commitments are expected around that time, especially considering there is another T20 World Cup this year. England will want to manage the workload of their top all-rounder, which means Stokes might not be able to fully commit to an IPL season.
#3 Stokes' absence allows England to have their top asset at full throttle
After suffering a drubbing in the Ashes, there have been talks about Ben Stokes taking over the England Test captaincy. However, England will want to have their prized assets unleashed at full throttle before they make any such decision.
Stokes returned to the England side for the Ashes series but his performances on the field weren't noteworthy. This was understandably given his lengthy layoff on the sidelines.
While Stokes is still a cricketer who can make things happen for his side, England will want their top all-rounder to be firing on all cylinders. Sitting out the IPL may benefit England in a time when they find themselves in a bit of a rut.