Chennai Super Kings CEO Kasi Vishwanathan has delivered a big update on Ben Stokes’ availability for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023). The England Test skipper is gearing up to play for the Chennai-based franchise for the first time in his career.
A couple of months ago, CSK went all out in the auction to secure his services for a massive sum of Rs 16.25 crore. Ben Stokes, however, recently hinted that he might not play the entire season of IPL 2023. The star allrounder stated that he might leave IPL early to prepare for the Test against Ireland and the Ashes.
IPL 2023 will end just four days before England’s first Test of the summer against Ireland at Lord’s (June 1) before the five-match Ashes series gets underway. The recent injury knee injury he suffered during the second Test against New Zealand only made things trickier as far as his availability is concerned.
CSK CEO on Ben Stokes’ availability:
While Ben Stokes has himself delivered mixed signals regarding his availability for IPL 2023, Chennai Super Kings are confident of having the allrounder for the entire season. CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan has said that the franchise have no information contrary to the initial assurances about the full availability of the English players.
“That is our understanding. Before the auction, the BCCI had conveyed to us that the English players will be available for the entire IPL,” Viswanathan told Cricbuzz on Thursday. “We’ve not had any information that is contrary to the BCCI communication.”
Meanwhile, IPL 2023 is scheduled to begin on March 31 while the final is scheduled to take place on May 28. CSK will be desperate to come up with a good performance this season after failing to do well last year.
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