England all-rounder Ben Stokes is expected to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) next season after expressing interest in the impending mini-auction for the 2023 edition of the league.
Notably, Stokes had withdrawn from the IPL 2022 season, citing workload management and a desire to give his all for England in Test cricket. The 31-year-old appeared in just one IPL match for the Rajasthan Royals in 2021 before being injured.
Earlier this year, Stokes announced the end of his 50-over career, citing that he was unable to give his all in ODIs and that playing all three formats while juggling a busy schedule was "unsustainable" for him.
According to a Cricbuzz article, Stokes is interested in playing in the IPL 2023, despite the fact that the Ashes series would immediately follow the cash-rich tournament next year.
The iconic Ashes series will begin on June 16 of next year, while the IPL is expected to end in late May or early June. As a result, franchise owners will closely monitor the availability of English and Australian players for the forthcoming season.
According to the report, several underperforming teams from previous season may release some players prior to the auction. Punjab Kings have already picked a new captain in Shikhar Dhawan, and with the mini-auction approaching, they are expected to make some difficult decisions.
As per the reports, PBKS will release Mayank Agarwal (Rs 12 crore), Shahrukh Khan (Rs 9 crore), and Odean Smith (Rs 6 crore), and will enter the auction with a large purse.
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