CSK all-rounder Ben Stokes to miss IPL 2024 to manage workload and fitness

Reigning champions Chennai Super Kings’ all-rounder Ben Stokes will miss the next season of the Indian Premier League 2024 to manage workload and fitness. Stokes recently took a U-turn on his ODI retirement and took part in the ODI World Cup.

The English all-rounder will undergo surgery on his left knee and will be on the road to recovery ahead of England’s much-awaited Test tour of India towards the end of January 2024. But he won’t take part in the IPL in order to manage his workload.

Meanwhile, CSK bought Ben Stokes for a whopping price of INR 16.25 crores in IPL 2023 auctions. Stokes has scored 935 runs in 45 IPL matches and has scalped 28 wickets in the tournament.

“I will hopefully be fine for the Test series [against India],” Stokes had said during the World Cup. “I am having surgery after the World Cup… There was a lot of time put into deciding when to get it done. The India Test series, which we start at the end of January, I should be fine to go by then.”

“England Test captain, all-rounder Ben Stokes has made himself unavailable for IPL 2024 to manage his workload and fitness. Stokes, 32, became a part of the Super Kings ahead of the successful IPL 2023. He recently participated in the ODI World Cup 2023, which he came out of retirement for,” CSK’s statement read.

“The Chennai Super Kings management is supportive of Ben in his decision to manage his workload with England playing a 5-Test series in India before the IPL and then the T20 World Cup in June 2024.

Stokes had to miss the first few matches of the World Cup due to a hip niggle but delivered for England during the fag end of the tournament.

The IPL 2024 auction will be held in Dubai on December 19.