IPL auction 2018: Ben Stokes' presence could help Sunrisers Hyderabad challenge for the title
It has been five months since the world saw Ben Stokes in action at the top level as the all-rounder was left out of the England team, thanks to the ongoing trial for his involvement in a brawl in Bristol after the completion of an ODI against West Indies. He is set to appear before Bristol Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, February 13 to answer charges of affray following the incident and the verdict could be very crucial for the English international.
With the 2018 IPL auction set to take place on January 28 and 29, one might feel that Stokes won't be a part of the auction. But, England and Wales Cricket Board have given a green signal for his participation in the extravaganza.
Exactly one year back, Stokes was red-hot property ahead of the IPL auction and was bought by Rising Pune Supergiant for a whopping 14.5 crores INR. He didn't disappoint as he led Steve Smith and co. to the playoffs with some crucial contributions with both bat and ball.
With the ECB allowing Stokes' participation in the tournament, the New Zealand-born star has fixed his base price at 2 crores INR ahead of the auction. He is expected to go for a huge price and former Indian batsman and the CEO of Kings XI Punjab, Virender Sehwag, has predicted that Stokes will be sold for a higher amount than Virat Kohli's 17 crore INR, which will make him the costliest IPL player ever.
What does he bring to the table?
One of the main reasons behind the success of Chennai Super Kings has been the team balance they had during their glory years which was provided by the all-round trio in the team. An all-rounder gives a T20 team additional stability as he can perform the role of both a batsman and a bowler. The presence of an all-rounder will give the team an advantage as they can play an extra batsman or bowler in the XI.
But, in recent years, an all-rounder who can contribute equally with both bat and ball on a consistent basis has become a rarity.
The T20 leagues around the world have seen some complete all-rounders like Shakib-al-Hasan, Krunal Pandya, Andre Russell, Chris Morris etc make their mark. But, none of them is better than Stokes.
With the bat, Stokes can be used as a pinch-hitter at the top of the order, anchor in the middle-order, and crisis man when the team is in a sport of bother as he has the ability to launch a counter-attack with ease. His versatility gives the team management the option to use him anywhere in the batting order.
The scars of the 2016 World T20 final might still hurt Stokes but he is way better than what he showed against Carlos Brathwaite that day. He can control the opposition batsmen in the middle overs with some tight bowling and is one of the best death bowlers going around.
Adding to this, he is a brilliant fielder and can make a difference for his team in the field. In simple words, Stokes is a complete package in T20s and is a dream for any captain in the format.
Who will buy Ben Stokes in the IPL auction?
It won't be a surprise if all the teams bid for Stokes in the auction as he will fit into any system without disturbing the team combination. Over the last few years, one team that have been a mere one-man army in both batting and bowling have been Sunrisers Hyderabad.
David Warner has been their go-to batsman and has carried the team's batting line-up on his shoulders just like how Sachin Tendulkar carried the Indian batting on his shoulders in 1998. The bowling unit has been highly dependant on Bhuvneshwar Kumar with Mustafizur Rahman and Rashid Khan backing him in the last two seasons.
The inclusion of Ben Stokes will give the Orange Army some stability as it will reduce the burden on both Warner and Bhuvneshwar and will release some pressure. The middle-order has been Sunrisers' weak-link over the years and Stokes's presence will certainly strengthen it. With most of the teams retaining an all-rounder in the IPL retention, Sunrisers, who retained Warner and Bhuvneshwar, will look to go all out to land the 26-year-old in the IPL auction.
The addition of Stokes will easily strengthen Warner and co. and help them challenge for the title that they lost in 2017.
After his performances in IPL 2017 that saw him win the Player of the Tournament in spite of playing only till the playoff, it will be a surprise if Benjamin Andrew Stokes doesn't go for a huge price in the auction.