Premier England all-rounder Ben Stokes will miss the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to workload management, his franchise Chennai Super Kings announced on November 23.
Stokes had joined CSK ahead of IPL 2023 but played in only two matches as he was managing a troublesome knee injury throughout the course of the two-month long tournament.
"England Test captain, all-rounder Ben Stokes has made himself unavailable for IPL 2024 to manage his workload and fitness," CSK said in a statement on their website on November 23.
"The Chennai Super Kings management is supportive of Ben in his decision to manage his workload with England playing a 5-Test series in India before the IPL and then the T20 World Cup in June 2024," the statement added.
CSK had acquired his services with a bid price of ₹16.25 crore, making him the costliest buy of the franchise. Stokes had managed only 15 runs and bowled one over in two matches in 2023, given that his energies were focused on getting ready for the Ashes series which followed soon after.
Stokes came out of retirement from ODI cricket but defending champions England endured a dismal World Cup campaign, finishing seventh in a 10-team points table.
The 32-year-old Stokes missed the first three matches of the league stage but finished well with one century and two fifties towards the end.
However, Stokes did not bowl in any of the six World Cup games.
