Ben Stokes’ Pune Knock Boosts His Chances Of IPL Contract
Jan 16, 2017 at 1:01 PM
England all-rounder Ben Stokes has boosted his chances of getting picked in the cash rich Indian Premier League auction next month after his stupendous all-round performance against India in the first ODI at Pune.
Batting first, England posted a massive 350-7 but centuries from Virat Kohli and Kedar Jadhav saw the hosts get over the line comfortably in the end.
However, despite England’s loss, Ben Stokes once again stole the show with his immense all-rounder skills in the game as he scored a blistering half-century and took the wickets of Virat Kohli and Yuvraj Singh to keep England in contention till the end of the game.
Stokes is keen to play in the IPL to improve himself as a player as he has the opportunity to play in an overseas T20 League.
“This year’s IPL is a chance, not just for myself, but a few of the other English guys to go ahead and experience what it’s like,” Stokes told reporters in Pune ahead of the first ODI.
”Get a different side of T20 cricket, rather than just play in England.
“In terms of the English summer, it is quite hard to get away and go and experience what it is like to play in these foreign T20 leagues.”
The 25-year-old all-rounder will have to make decision over his time in the league as the IPL starts on April 5 and ends on May 21. With England set to play Ireland in the two ODIs on the first week of May, it remains to be seen whether he’ll be available for the entire tournament.
“I am an England player, so the decision will get made on what would happen then,” he said.
“I’ll just go with whatever… if they feel that it is best for the English guys who go out there to stay over there, then we’ll follow that.
“And if they want us to come back to represent England, which is what our job is to do, then we’ll come back and have no complaints.”
If Stokes is indeed picked, he would be the fourth player from the current English team to play in the IPL as the likes of Eoin Morgan, Jos Buttler and Sam Billings are already a part of the richest T20 League in the world.