England’s test captain, Ben Stokes opted out of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He didn’t put his name in the recently concluded IPL mega auction.
When asked about it, Stokes said that he wants to prolong his career as long as possible. He further mentioned that taking care of his body and managing his workload is a key factor in doing so.
England is currently on a 3-match test series in New Zealand against the Kiwis. The first test will start on 28th November 2024 at the Hagley Oval in Christchurch. The test series between England and New Zealand has been renamed as the “Crowe-Thorpe trophy”. It is to honour the former greats; New Zealand’s Martin Crowe and England’s Graham Thorpe.
Stokes said to BBC Sport, “Looking after my body and looking after myself as much as I can is key to that is prioritizing games and when I do play”
The English skipper also admitted that he is at the “back end” of his career.
He said, “There’s no hiding behind the fact that I’m at the back end of my career. I obviously want to play as long as possible. Looking after my body and looking after myself is key to that”.
“I want to be wearing this England shirt for as long as I can”: Ben Stokes
As per the new rule in the IPL, players who did not register for the mega auction will not be eligible for the mini-auctions. So, the English skipper now cannot play in the league till 2026. Stokes will be 36 by that time and he already has a few injury concerns throughout his career.
Stokes last played in the IPL for the Chennai Super Kings in 2023. He played only two matches that season due to injury.
Keeping all this in mind, Stokes said that he wants to play for England as long as he can.
“It’s about looking at what I’ve got ahead and making the decision that I think is right for me to be able to prolong my career as long as possible. I want to be wearing this England shirt for as long as I can”, he said.
Ben Stokes will play for MI Cape Town in the upcoming South Africa 20 (SA20) League.
