"Ben Stokes doesn't deserve my team" - Twitter erupts as reports of CSK all-rounder skipping IPL 2024 emerge

Having announced his retirement from ODIs in 2022, England Test skipper Ben Stokes looks set to withdraw the same and bolt into the squad for the 2023 World Cup.

Stokes called it a day from the 50-over format last year, with his swansong coming at home in Durham against South Africa.

A report in The Telegraph suggests that he is now ready to come out of retirement from the format in order to aid England's title defense at the ODI World Cup starting in October in India. The report further states that he could be used as a specialist batter at the World Cup if required, while he might also be prepared to give IPL 2024 a skip.

Stokes is currently contracted with reigning champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), but might have to undergo surgery for a dodgy knee that has often flared up and restricted his bowling. With a long Test tour of India starting towards the end of January, he could supposedly be prepared to skip the IPL in order to gain sufficient recovery time.

Fans on Twitter had plenty to say upon hearing the possibility of Stokes not turning out in the yellow of CSK in IPL 2024. From disappointment to considering it a blessing in disguise owing to the purse it opens up for the franchise, here's how they reacted:

Ben Stokes was CSK's most expensive purchase ever at the IPL 2023 auction

After enduring their worst finish to an IPL season in 2022, the MS Dhoni-led CSK went all-out to acquire the services of Stokes at the player auction for the 2023 season held in Kochi in December last year.

Shelling out a whopping ₹16.25 crore, CSK made him their most expensive acquisition ever, surpassing the ₹14 crore spent on Deepak Chahar at the 2022 auction.

However, Stokes featured in just two games for the Super Kings, managing scores of 7 and 8 while sending down a solitary over in which he conceded 18 runs. He was then forced to miss out on a few games owing to an injury, but with the team performing well and wearing a settled look, he was consigned to the bench for the rest of the season even when fit.

The all-rounder departed ahead of the playoffs in order to prepare for a grueling Test summer. While CSK lifted their fifth IPL crown by defeating the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the final, the Stokes-led England bounced back from 2-0 down to square the Ashes series 2-2.

How much of a miss will Ben Stokes be for CSK should he choose to skip IPL 2024? Have your say in the comments section below!

About the author

Sooryanarayanan started off as a non-contracted text commentator at Sportskeeda 3 years ago and is today, the Cricket Commentary Manager. An MBA degree holder, a burning passion for the sport eventually led him to take it up professionally. He also writes insightful Feature pieces from time to time.

Sooryanarayanan sees cricket as a reflection of life’s ebbs and flows, and believes that the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy perfectly showcased it via the determination, courage and the never-give-up attitude displayed on field. He is a staunch Team India supporter and believes that the team has a very bright future. He admires MS Dhoni for how he approaches the sport and life as they come, being unfazed by both victory and defeat.

Sooryanarayanan tries to stick to facts and relies heavily on numerical data to present them. Keeping an objective and neutral view is one of his biggest reporting strengths, along with conducting thorough research and verifying all facts. His exploits in his field have led him to interview some star cricketers like Rovman Powell, Chamari Athapaththu, Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris, Peter Hatzoglou, and more.

When not immersed in Cricket, Sooryanarayanan loves to watch movies and web series, which helps him to focus better when he’s back to work.

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