Premier England all-rounder Ben Stokes has reportedly opted out of the IPL 2022 to remain fresh for the team's home season, British media reported.
The preparations for the IPL 2022 have already started. The tournament this time will see 10 teams competing which each other. Ahmedabad and Lucknow, the two new teams, were recently given an official clearance by the BCCI and will soon have to submit their draft list of three players.
The countdown for the IPL 2022 mega auction has begun as well. The event will take place in in Bangalore on February 12 and 13.
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However, it is learned that ace all-rounder Ben Stokes is likely to skip IPL 2022 to keep himself fresh for England’s tour to West Indies in March followed by a hectic home season. The report suggested that Ben Stokes is ready to make the "significant financial sacrifice" to prioritize his mental health.
“Stokes will sit out this year’s tournament, which will feature 10 teams for the first time and be preceded by a mega-auction in which there are plenty of spaces to fill. Stokes has had a tumultuous time over the last couple of years, with the death of his father Ged 13 months ago preceding a long break in 2021 to prioritise his mental health and fix a finger badly broken at the IPL.
“Sitting out represents a significant financial sacrifice but should also allow him some time off to mentally refresh between England’s tour of the Caribbean in March and the international summer in June,” London’s Evening Standard reported.
Notably, Ben Stokes had a poor outing in the recently concluded Ashes 2021-22. The Southpaw scored only 236 runs and took only four wickets in England’s 0-4 thrashing at the hands of Australia.
The all-rounder was part of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL 2021. He injured his finger in the first phase of the tournament, which ruled him out of the tournament. Stokes then was on an indefinite break from cricket for his mental health during the second phase of IPL 14.
(PTI inputs)
