Widely regarded as one of the best all-rounders in modern-day cricket, England’s Ben Stokes has attracted handsome bids whenever he has thrown his hat into the IPL auction rings.
However, Stokes pulled out of the IPL 2022 season, citing workload management with an aim to give his best for England in Test cricket.
Last year, Stokes featured in just one IPL match for Rajasthan Royals before being injured. In 2021, he also took an extended break from the game to look after his mental well-being.
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Since the England Test skipper recently retired from ODI cricket, it seems uncertain whether he will put his name forward for the IPL auction or not going forward.
Amid the speculations, Stokes has said that his decision to play in overseas leagues would be based on the international cricket schedule as Test cricket is his topmost priority.
"As England cricketers, our schedule is jam-packed and we seem to be playing all year around. I think our summer is everybody's winter and when our winter comes along, it is everybody's summer. So, people are either coming here to play or we are touring to play cricket. It is a case of looking at schedules, looking ahead at what we have got coming up. But as I have made it very clear, that Test cricket is at the forefront of my mind and all of my time decisions will be based around Test matches. Now being the captain, I have the responsibility to do that," said Stokes during a select media call organised by Prime Video, who will be streaming Stokes' documentary 'Ben Stokes: Phoenix From The Ashes' from August 26.
"So yeah, my commitment outside of any international cricket will be based around our schedule and what international cricket we have got coming up but you know, I have played in the IPL for four years. I have loved it every time I have been there. It is an amazing competition to be part of, not just for the spectacle of the IPL but the opportunity to work along with the best players in the world, and some of the best coaches. It is just an amazing experience to be involved in but as I said, there is a schedule to be looked at around the window of the IPL," he added.
England’s new era in Test cricket under captain Ben Stokes and head coach Brendon McCullum has taken the cricketing world by storm. They first whitewashed New Zealand 3-0 and then thrashed India by 7 wickets to win the rescheduled Test that was postponed last year due to Covid-19.
They might have suffered a heavy defeat in the first Test against South Africa last week but England’s aggressive approach, termed as ‘Bazball’, has now become the talk of the town.
"It has been fantastic. One of the main jobs for me and Baz is to now ensure that Bazball is not said as what our cricket is. Whoever came up with that term, just to let him know, me and Brendon don't like it. But it has been an incredible start for me and Baz, we won our first four games, but the most pleasing thing for me is how we have gone about our cricket and the mindset. We could have lost all four those of games, but if we had lost all four games, we still would be thinking very positively about the way we played because we know people turned up to watch us play," said Stokes.
"People who came to see us play would have enjoyed every day of those matches and that is something I have tried to bring in, to take away the pressures of international cricket. When you think about pressure, you sort of forget that at the end of the day, we are sort of in the entertainment business. People are coming to watch us play because we are at the top level of our sport. And sport is entertainment. Go out there and entertain people for five days for every session that you have in the day. If we play good cricket, we are giving ourselves a good chance of winning, if we play poorly, we are going to lose. It is pretty simple but just go out there, enjoy, and have fun," he concluded.
(With NDTV inputs)
