Amid growing rumors of Ben Stokes missing the IPL 2020, Rajasthan Royals’ mentor Shane Warne has on Thursday (1st October) opened up about the possibilities of the all-rounder’s availability for the ongoing T20 league in the United Arab Emirates.
At the moment, England’s 2019 World Cup-winning all-rounder is in New Zealand with his family after his father Ged, former All Blacks rugby player was diagnosed with brain cancer.
Stokes had opted out of the home series against Pakistan after being granted compassionate leave by the England and Wales Cricket Board in the middle of August and since then, he is taking care of his ill father who is currently undergoing treatment in New Zealand.
Earlier, it was reported that the Stokes might miss the IPL 13 but the inaugural winners of the IPL have not given any update on their talismanic all-rounder availability for the tournament yet.
Well, on Wednesday, Warne revealed that the RR has not given up on its hopes of having Stokes in UAE for the IPL 2020. However, the Australian spin legend hasn’t revealed any timeframe for Stokes’ arrival but was hopeful that the English star would play a part in IPL 2020.
Warne told PTI, “Hopefully, Ben Stokes would play a part this year, he’s a big loss and our thoughts are with him, but you know, add Ben to the team that played the other night and it looks a very, very good side.”
Notably, a Gulf News report has suggested that Stokes is likely to arrive in UAE by the first week of October and the fans can see him play 10 of the 14 matches for RR in the ongoing lucrative tournament.
Meanwhile, RR mentor also lauded skipper Steve Smith’s form in the IPL 2020 as the right-hander scored 69 and 50 in the first two games before being dismissed cheaply against the KKR for 3.
Warne said of former Aussie captain: “I liked it, him (Smith) coming to open the innings. I am always a big believer in your best player having the opportunity to face the most amount of deliveries, so for me, you know Jos Buttler, Steve Smith and Sanju are one, two, and three, respectively.”
He also suggested Smith and head coach Andrew McDonald to no tinker with the top three in the IPL 13.
Warne signed off by saying, “Steve Smith and Andrew McDonald might have different ideas but I would always want my best players facing the maximum number of balls. We’ve got so many good players who could play so many different roles, but I personally like Steve Smith at the top.”
(With PTI Inputs)
