IPL 2023: Ben Stokes Availability – With just 29 days to go for IPL 2023, franchises are still in the dark about England and Australian players’ availability for the entire duration. Ben Stokes has recently confirmed that he won’t be available for the playoffs. However, he won’t be alone, with England vs Ireland Test and WTC Final, many other English and Aussie cricketers are likely to pull out. But BCCI hasn’t conveyed anything to the teams yet. Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Viswanathan still believes Stokes will be available for the entire IPL. Follow Indian Premier League LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
Kasi Viswanathan told Cricbuzz that BCCI only conveyed that players will be available for the entire duration. The message was given during the franchises’ meeting with BCCI a day before IPL 2023 auction.
“That is our understanding. Before the auction, the BCCI had conveyed to us that the English players will be available for the entire IPL. We’ve not had any information that is contrary to the BCCI communication,” Viswanathan told Cricbuzz.
IPL 2023: IPL franchises still in DARK about English & Australian players availability, CSK CEO confident Ben Stokes won’t miss playoffs, Follow LIVE Updates
What did Ben Stokes say? – “Yes, I’ll play Test against Ireland. I’ll be making sure that I give myself enough time to get back and play that Ireland game.”
What about other England players? – “I’ll probably get round the individuals and ask them what they want to be ready for for the Ashes because those five games are obviously the big ones of the summer, and you’ve got to think about what lads want,” Ben Stokes said.
However, there are also concerns regarding his availability in the league stages. Stokes is nursing a knee injury and with the Ashes coming up, neither England & Wales Cricket Board, nor the Test captain would want to risk. While Stokes has confirmed he will play in the IPL, at least in the league stages, if the injury flairs up, there is a good chance that CSK will have to ready replacement.
English Players who could miss playoffs?
- Ben Stokes – CSK (Confirmed)
- Sam Curran – PBKS – (If called up)
- Joe Root (Gujarat Titans)
- Jos Buttler – RR – (If called up)
- Phil Salt – DC – (If called up)
- Jofra Archer – MI – (If called up)
- Jonny Bairstow – PBKS – (If called up)
- Reece Topley – RCB (If called up)
- Harry Brook – SRH (If called up)
What does BCCI say on this? – BCCI however is leaving it completely on the individual players. A senior BCCI official told InsideSport that there is nothing to communicate to the teams as the respective boards have confirmed players’ participation. But even the boards are nit in control if players want to go back early and prepare for an international match.
“There is nothing to communicate. We still understand that both England and Australian players are available for the entire duration. But if some players want to end their IPL stint early and go back for national team camp, it is complete up to the players. No boards have set up a conditional NOC in regards to national team games so far,” the BCCI official told InsideSport.
However, not just England Test players, some of the Australian Test players too are expected to leave IPL early. Australia are just 76 runs away from confirming their spot in the WTC Final which starts June 7. If they seal the deal with a win against India in Indore Test, there is a good chance that players like Cameron Green, David Warner and Josh Hazlewood among others would leave the tournament early.
Australian Players who could miss IPL playoffs?
- David Warner
- Cameron Green
- Josh Hazlewood
- Mitchell Marsh (If called up)
- Glenn Maxwell (If called up)
IPL 2023: IPL franchises still in DARK about English & Australian players availability, CSK CEO confident Ben Stokes won’t miss playoffs, Follow LIVE Updates
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