England all-rounder and Test captain Ben Stokes has opted out of the upcoming IPL, as confirmed by his franchise, the Chennai Super Kings, on Thursday (November 23). Stokes, who recently returned from his ODI retirement and played in the World Cup in India, will undergo surgery on his left knee. This procedure aims to facilitate his recovery in time for England’s much-anticipated Test tour of India scheduled for the end of January 2024. Despite his expectation to be fit for the Test series, Stokes has chosen to skip the IPL to manage his workload and prioritize his fitness.
“I am having surgery after the World Cup. There was a lot of time put into deciding when to get it done. The India Test series, which we start at the end of January, I should be fine to go by then,” Stokes mentioned during the World Cup.
CSK, who acquired Stokes for a significant INR 16.25 crore in last year’s auction, was initially planning to release him due to his likely unavailability for the upcoming season. However, the franchise has now expressed its support for Stokes’ decision to sit out the next IPL season.
“The Chennai Super Kings management is supportive of Ben in his decision to manage his workload with England playing a 5-Test series in India before the IPL and then the T20 World Cup in June 2024,” stated an official release from CSK.
