[Watch] Ben Stokes joins MS Dhoni-led CSK ahead of IPL 2023
England all-rounder Ben Stokes joined MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Friday, March 24, ahead of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League season (IPL 2023).
The franchise shared a video of his arrival on social media. You can watch it here:
🦁Ungal NanBEN in Namma Area! 🥳
#WhistlePodu #Yellove 💛🦁
@benstokes38 https://t.co/5CC0YYSiKm
For the uninitiated, Stokes was bought by CSK for Rs 16.25 crore after a bidding war with Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Lucknow Super Giants, and Sunrisers Hyderabad. He is the most expensive player for CSK, surpassing Deepak Chahar, who was bought for Rs 14 crore.
This will be his second stint with Dhoni and head coach Stephen Fleming after his stint with the now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiants in IPL 2017.
So far, Stokes has scored 920 runs in 43 matches in the IPL at a strike rate of 134.50, which includes a couple of centuries. He has also scalped 28 wickets at an economy rate of 34.79. The 31-year-old didn’t take part in IPL 2022.
Ben Stokes joined CSK camp 💛
#WhistlePodu #IPL2023 #CSK https://t.co/9EsYtfuNgC
The English all-rounder comes with a wealth of T20 experience, having played in the Big Bash League and The Hundred. He has scored 3008 runs in 157 T20Is, including two centuries against the now-defunct Gujarat Lions in IPL 2017 and the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2020. He has also bagged 93 wickets.
Stokes delivered match-winning knocks in the 2019 World Cup (unbeaten 84 versus New Zealand) and the 2022 T20 World Cup (unbeaten 52 against Pakistan) finals. He will look to win his first IPL trophy as the Chennai-based franchise chase their fifth trophy of the tournament.
Having led England in Tests, Stokes has emerged as the ideal candidate to lead CSK in the future. He has so far won 10 out of 13 Tests.
CSK squad for IPL 2023
Players bought - Ajinkya Rahane (₹50 lakh), Ben Stokes (₹16.25 crore), Shaik Rasheed (₹20 lakh), Nishant Sindhu (₹60 lakh), Kyle Jamieson (₹1 crore), Ajay Mandal (₹20 lakh), Bhagath Varma (₹20 lakh).
Players retained - MS Dhoni (c), Devon Conway, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ambati Rayudu, Subhranshu Senapati, Moeen Ali, Shivam Dube, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Dwaine Pretorius, Mitchell Santner, Ravindra Jadeja, Tushar Deshpande, Mukesh Chowdhary, Matheesha Pathirana, Simarjeet Singh, Deepak Chahar, Prashant Solanki, Maheesh Theekshana.
IPL 2023 opening match promo - it's MS Dhoni's CSK Vs Hardik Pandya's GT. https://t.co/4sf1taTHG7
MS Dhoni and Co. will play the IPL 2023 opener against defending champions Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on March 31.