Ben Stokes reveals reason for skipping the 2025 IPL auctions as England gear up to face New Zealand in crucial series.
Ben Stokes reveals his reason as to why he skipped the auctions for the 2025 IPL season.
Stokes was conspicuously absent from the list of 52 Englishmen who registered for the 2025 competition’s major auction in Jeddah. The Test captain of England would not be eligible to participate in the IPL until 2026. He would turn 35 by then.
Players who have played in the league before but did not register for the mega auction will not be permitted to register for the subsequent mini-auction. This according to new rules proposed by franchise owners and approved by the BCCI.
According to history, Stokes would have received a high price. Stokes has already signed lucrative million-pound contracts with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Rajasthan Royals (RR), and Rising Pune Supergiant.
“[There is] just so much cricket,” Stokes told BBC Sport in Christchurch ahead of England’s first Test against New Zealand. “There’s no hiding behind the fact that I’m at the back-end of my career. I obviously want to play as long as I possibly can. Looking after my body and looking after myself as much as I can is key to that.”
Stokes, who is centrally signed to the ECB until October 2026, acknowledged that it was time to start listening to his body for the sake of his remaining international career after spending the majority of the previous 12 months recovering from surgery on his left knee and a strained right hamstring.
“[It is about] prioritising games and when I do play. Obviously I’m in South Africa this year. So it’s about looking at what I’ve got ahead and making the decision that I think is right for me to be able to prolong my career as long as possible. I want to wear this England shirt for as long as I can.”