The Chennai Super Kings are confident that Ben Stokes will be available for the entire Indian Premier League season (IPL). As the franchise begins its preseason camp on Friday (March 3), its CEO Kasi Viswanathan stated that they have no information contrary to the initial assurances about the English players’ full availability.
“That is our understanding. Before the auction, the BCCI had conveyed to us that the English players will be available for the entire IPL,” the Viswanathan told Cricbuzz on Thursday. “We’ve not had any information that is contrary to the BCCI communication.”
The CSK official’s claim comes amid reports of Stokes’ injury and contradictory signals from the player. The England red-ball captain suffered a knee injury in the recent Test against New Zealand at Basin Reserve in Wellington, and prior to the Test, Stokes had committed to the England team by declaring that he would consider leaving the IPL early to be in time for England’s Test against Ireland.
“Yes, I’ll play. I’ll be making sure that I give myself enough time to get back and play that (Ireland) game,” Stokes said last week indicating that he will be in London well in time for the Ireland Test which starts at Lord’s on June 1. The Test is immediately followed by the Ashes, the biggest cricketing home fixture for the England team.