Concerns over Ben Stokes ‘ availability for IPL arise as all-rounder skips Australia series

It turns out that all-rounder Ben Stokes will not be a part of the England squad for the rest of the summer, having flown back home after the first Test against Pakistan to take care of his father, former Rugby player Ged, who has been suffering from brain cancer.

The England and Wales Cricket Board decided to keep him out of the squad for the ODI and T20 series against Australia for the same reason. The all-rounder admitted to having had sleepless nights for a week after coming across the news, unable to focus on the job at hand. He told the Weekend Herald a few days ago, “I didn’t sleep for a week and my head wasn’t really in it. Leaving was the right choice from a mental point of view.”

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Stokes spoke about the influence that his father has had over him since childhood. He said, “He was tough (on me). But as I got older, I realized it was all for a reason. He knew I wanted to be a professional sportsman and he was drilling that into me as I started to make a career in Cricket.”

With Stokes out of Cricketing action for the rest of the summer, his participation in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals remains in doubt, with the League scheduled to start from September 19. The Rajasthan Royals have not commented on the issue yet, but it is very much understandable that Stokes would want to be with his family during such tough times. 

As such, England and Australian internationals were already supposed to be missing the first week’s action, due to the quarantine guidelines in the UAE and because of their late arrival for the new season.