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Following his announcement that he will not be
participating in the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2024, Ben Stokes was among
the players released by Chennai Super Kings. After England’s 2023 World Cup
campaign came to an end, Stokes stated that he will be having knee surgery and
that he hoped to be fully recovered in time for England’s next Test schedule,
which starts with a five-match series in India on January 25.
Earlier, CSK has stated that the team supports Stokes’
choice. Stokes was only able to participate in two matches in which he scored
fifteen runs and bowled one over, despite the fact that CSK had won the title
in 2023. Due to his injury issues, former India opener Aakash Chopra has stated
that CSK might not have kept Stokes even if he had decided to play in the 2024
IPL and that no other team would have paid ₹16.25 crores for him at auction.
“Ben Stokes has said that he won’t play in the IPL.
Were Chennai going to retain him? That’s a big question. In my opinion, they
weren’t going to do so. Would any other team have bought him for 16.25 crores?
My two cents – it was not going to happen,” said Chopra on his Youtube channel.
“So he did the right thing. I don’t know if it’s
strategic or anything. Why should we comment on it? The truth is that 16.25
crore rupees are suddenly freed there. Ambati Rayudu has retired. So you have
20 crore rupees and you will get five crores in any case when the purse is
increased.”
Aside from Stokes, Ambati Rayudu is another name on
the CSK player release that is expected. Rayudu declared he would retire at the
end of the 2023 campaign. Additionally, CSK let go of South Africa bowler
Dwaine Pretorius and youthful fast bowling all-rounder Kyle Jamieson from New
Zealand.
Sisanda Magala of South Africa has also been released,
and the five-time IPL champions have let go of domestic players Bhagath Varma,
Subhranshu Senapati, and Akash Singh. As a result, they now have ₹31.4 crore in
cash.