"You realised that he doesn't fit in your scheme of things" - Aakash Chopra on Ben Stokes' role for CSK in IPL 2023

Aakash Chopra believes Chennai Super Kings (CSK) realised they didn't have a place for Ben Stokes in their team even when the England all-rounder was available for selection after recovering from injury.

CSK bought Stokes for ₹16.25 crore at the IPL 2023 auction. However, the England Test captain was sidelined due to knee and toe injuries after just two matches in the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League and didn't play again.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra reflected on the utilisation and performances of some of the big-money picks in IPL 2023. Regarding Stokes, he said:

"You bought Ben Stokes for 16-odd crores; he was extremely expensive, but what happened after that - you got him to bat at No. 3, and then he got injured. When he was supposed to come back after injury, you realised that he doesn't fit in your scheme of things."

The former Indian opener pointed out that Devon Conway, Moeen Ali and Maheesh Theekshana were certain overseas picks for CSK:

"Devon Conway will bat at the top, Moeen Ali in the middle because he is an all-rounder, and then you will have to pick Maheesh Theekshana because you don't have a spinner other than Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) as Moeen Ali doesn't bowl much."

Chopra added that MS Dhoni and Co. had no option but to play an overseas seamer as well:

"You had death-bowling problems right from the start. It's not that if Deepak Chahar hadn't become unfit, Deepak Chahar could have been your death bowler alongside Tushar Deshpande.

"It wouldn't have worked out with both of them. So you had to play Matheesha Pathirana or one of Dwaine Pretorius and Sisanda Magala."

Stokes could have replaced the underperforming Moeen Ali in the CSK XI if he was fully fit and available. However, the seam-bowling all-rounder might have had to bat in the lower-middle order, considering that the likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Shivam Dube were doing an excellent job up the order.

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"Chennai goes with a very clear thought in such situations" - Aakash Chopra on CSK leaving Ben Stokes on the bench

Ben Stokes returned to England ahead of the playoffs.

Aakash Chopra concluded by praising CSK for prioritising winning the trophy ahead of accommodating their big-ticket player in the XI:

"If you see Ben Stokes' purchase in isolation, he is a very good player, but when you try to fit him into the team, you feel that this did not work out properly.

"Chennai goes with a very clear thought in such situations. They don't need Ben Stokes. Let the money go waste, but the important thing is to lift the trophy, and they did that."

Stokes managed only 15 runs in the two innings he played in IPL 2023. He conceded 18 runs in the solitary over he bowled in the tournament.