Flamboyant England all-rounder Ben Stokes is expected to follow his Test skipper Joe Root footsteps in snubbing the IPL 2022. Root has already clarified that he will not give his name for the IPL 2022 auction and Stokes, who has always attracted big bids in the cash-rich league, will also do the same. Stokes returned to competitive cricket in Ashes 2021-22 after recovering from injury and a mental health break. The flamboyant all-rounder has been released by Rajasthan Royals after he missed most part of IPL 2021 due to injury.
Bio-bubble fatigue is the key reason behind, Stokes big call ahead of the IPL 2022 which will be a ten-team affair. Stokes has played 43 matches in IPL so far in which he scored 920 runs and picked 28 wickets. He was also named Most Valuable Player award in 2017.
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According to a report, BCCI has decided to extend the last day for players’ registration up to January 20.
The mega IPL 2022 auction will take place in Bengaluru on February 12 and 13. According to Evening Standard, Stokes’ name will be unlikely in the auction ceremony as he wants to avoid the bio-bubble fatigue. The report further suggests that Jonny Bairstow, Ollie Pope, Sam Billings and Mark Wood will go under the hammer as they have decided to play in the cash-rich.
Meanwhile, Jos Buttler and Moeen Ali are already retained by their former franchises Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings respectively.
Root has already made himself unavailable for the auction as he wants to focus on Test cricket.
“I didn’t (give name for auction), no, I think that there’s a lot that we need to do for this team, which deserves all of my energy. I really hope I get the opportunity to do it. I’ll keep sacrificing as much as I can because I care so much about Test cricket in our country and trying to get us to where we can,” the England captain said after the fifth and final Ashes Test in Hobart.
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