"I'll be making sure that I give myself enough time to get back and play that" - Ben Stokes to skip latter stages of IPL to prepare for Ireland Test
England's red-ball captain Ben Stokes has confirmed that he will feature in the one-off Test against Ireland, beginning on June 1, kickstarting the home season which also includes the highly anticipated Ashes series.
Currently leading the side in New Zealand for a two-match Test series, the ace all-rounder has not been included in the T20I squad for the tour of Bangladesh.
As a result, his next major assignment comes in the form of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
🏟 Basin Reserve, Wellington
#NZvENG https://t.co/8zkIseyF3i
Following his release from the Rajasthan Royals (RR), Stokes did not register for the mega-auction ahead of the 2022 season. He was then roped in by the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the IPL 2023 mini-auction for ₹16.25 crore, the franchise's most expensive acquisition ever.
Ahead of the second Test against New Zealand at the Basin Reserve in Wellington, Stokes said:
"I'll be making sure that I give myself enough time to get back and play that [Ireland] game. I'll probably get round the individuals and ask them what they want to be ready for for the Ashes, because those five games are obviously the big ones of the summer, and you've got to think about what lads want."
The upcoming IPL season is scheduled to take place from March 31 to May 28, which leaves England only a couple of days before the one-off Test against Ireland.
Several England players, namely Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow, and Jofra Archer, have also been snapped up by the franchises ahead of the season either through retention or auction.
"We'll still be able to pick the best team judging by the people we've got" - Ben Stokes
England have a 1-0 lead in the two-match series against New Zealand following their mammoth 267-run win in Mount Maunganui, which also ended their losing streak in pink-ball Tests.
One Super King overtakes another 💛
Ben Stokes overtakes Brendon McCullum's tally of most sixes in Test cricket history! 🔥
#NZvENG #WhistlePodu @benstokes38
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Stating that he would ideally play the same playing XI from the first Test, Stokes said:
"If we have got a couple of people who are a bit sore, or bowlers who don't feel like they are 100 percent right to go, then I will still be picking my best team because I will be picking the XI who are able to play,"
He added:
So it's the beauty of the squad we've got at the moment - if someone doesn't feel like they're quite up to performing again after a close turnaround, we'll still be able to pick the best team judging by the people we've got."
The second Test between England and New Zealand is slated to begin on Friday, February 24.
Will Ben Stokes' departure have an impact on CSK? Let us know what you think.
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