BEN STOKES (RR)

Speculations are rife over the availability of the England all-rounder Ben Stokes for the upcoming IPL 2020 season, where he is supposed to turn out for the Rajasthan Royals (RR). Stokes, who missed the Pakistan series in order to be with his father Ged in New Zealand, who was diagnosed with brain cancer.

Stokes had mentioned that he was not mentally there as he was preparing for the Pakistan series and had trouble sleeping as well. He decided to pull out of the Pakistan series and the upcoming limited-overs series against Australia as well, to be with his father in this tough time.

Ben Stokes speaks after arrival in New Zealand to attend seriously ill father

This also means that there is a big question mark over his availability for the RR franchise in the upcoming IPL edition. Stokes has been a star for the franchise for the past two years and he not playing for them will be a big blow to their chances of winning the tournament.

He wouldn't want a similar situation like that of the Pakistan series where he was physically on the field but was mentally thinking about his father. Such a situation would neither help the player nor his team.