England and Rajasthan Royals (RR) all-rounder, Ben Stokes, is all set to finally arrive in UAE for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 after taking a leave from cricket to be with his ailing father.
The 29-year-old, who had moved out of England's bio-bubble while the Tests against Pakistan were being played in August, reached New Zealand to attend Gerard Stokes, the former Kiwi rugby player, who is going through treatment for brain cancer.
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After spending considerable time in Christchurch, Stokes confirmed on Saturday (October 3) that he is flying across to the gulf.
"Goodbye’s never get easier", he posted over Instagram, along with some of the pictures with his family, including Stokes senior.
Upon arrival, Stokes, who has already missed his team's first three matches of the IPL 2020, will go into seven-day isolation due to COVID-19 protocols the tournament is being played in.
He is expected to be available for Royals' last seven games of the league stage, starting with the fixture against Delhi Capitals (DC) on October 14 in Dubai.
Stokes' return will significantly boost the Royals' chances. The team have found retaining strength in the top six while also bolstering their bowling attack quite a challenge and Stokes is expected to resolve those issues for them.
The player has also been training at Sydenham Cricket Club, the first cricket club he played at back in New Zealand, to ensure a swift return to the field, reported mirror.co.uk.
In all, Stokes has played 34 IPL matches with a strike-rate of 132.01 with the bat and an economy rate of 8.25 with the ball.
