England’s Ben Stokes will be included in this season’s Indian Premier League auction to be held on 4 February, 2017 in Bengaluru. If selected by one of the eight teams, it will be the first time the all-rounder has taken part in the competition.
Stokes’s agency confirmed to Cricbuzz that it was the Durham man’s intention to participate in the auction. Although it is not yet known what his reserve price will be, there are likely to be plenty of suitors. Stokes’s destructive and aggressive ability with bat and ball, as well as his excellence in the field, mark him out as one of the world’s best T20 players.
How much of the competition Stokes will be available for is as yet unknown. The competition runs from April to May but England play Ireland in a two-match One-Day International series beginning on 5th May, which may curtail his involvement. It is understood that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has not yet made a decision on the availability of their players.
Should Stokes not be selected for that series, England’s next action is a one-day series with South Africa beginning on 24th May which would allow for far greater availability in the IPL. While not selecting their strongest side for the Ireland series could give the impression of disrespecting their visitors, it may also give England’s fringe players a chance ahead of the Champions Trophy.
Whatever the ECB decides, Stokes’ participation in the IPL would mean that he is unlikely to play for Durham until after the Champions Trophy. Should England make it to the final, Stokes’ first appearance for his county will likely be in Durham’s Championship game on 26th June against Worcestershire as preparation for the Test series against South Africa.
Jos Buttler, with Mumbai Indians, and Sam Billings, with Delhi Daredevils, are the only two England players to have been retained ahead of the auction but alongside Stokes, Jason Roy and Eoin Morgan are also expected to make themselves available with other players looking into the possibility.
This year is a prime opportunity for more of England’s leading players to play in the IPL. For the next six months, England’s focus is on white ball cricket ahead of the Champions Trophy, a tournament targeted by Andrew Strauss, the ECB’s Director of England Cricket. With that in mind, playing in the high-quality IPL would be excellent preparation for England’s one-day players ahead of the summer.
Stokes’s value to England in all formats of the game is undoubted. Alongside Joe Root and Buttler, he is England’s most important player despite his record in T20 internationals – averaging 49.37 with the ball and 13.27 with the bat – being a work in progress.
