New Delhi: England Test captain Ben Stokes recently revealed the reason behind not entering the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. Stokes was a major missing from the list of 52 English players registered for the mega auction in Jeddah that took place on Sunday and Monday. This makes it clear that Stokes won’t be allowed to play the IPL until 2026, by which time he will turn 35.
As per the new IPL regulations introduced by franchise owners which was later ratified by the BCCI, players who have previously featured in the league but did not sign up for the mega auction would be unable to register for the mini-auction in the following year. History has it that Stokes would have fetched a lucrative deal, having previously done so with now-defunct Rising Pune Supergiant, Rajasthan Royals (RR), and Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
Currently practicing in Christchurch for the three-Test series against New Zealand, Stokes revealed he ignored the IPL auction to strip back his playing commitments, attempting to prolong his England career. “(There is) just so much cricket. 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 told BBC Sport ahead of the first Test.
Stokes, who spent the majority of his last year recovering from the surgery on his left knee and also recovering from a torn right hamstring, is centrally contracted to the England Cricket Board (ECB) until October 2026. The 33-year-old admitted that it was time to start listening to his body for the good part of his remaining international career.
Want to wear ENG shirt for as long as I can – Stokes
“(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,” Stokes added as quoted by ESPNcricinfo.
Stokes last featured in the IPL in 2023 for CSK and opted out of the 2024 season to manage his workload after a gruelling Test series in India. As per the new IPL regulations, if Stokes had registered for the auction and then pulled out of the tournament (after being picked by a team), that would also hand him a two-year ban, unless he could provide an injury sheet from the ECB which clearly stated genuine medical reasons rather than him simply wanting a rest.
Ben Stokes didn’t register for the IPL 2025 mega auction, being one of the notable omissions from the English set of registered players. He currently captains the England Test team. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
