Ben Stokes wants to play the IPL

The Indian Premier League has always existed as this lucrative option for players around the world as it not only offers the best experience but is also the richest domestic Twenty20 league in the world. Most players want to be a part of the league but one team that hasn’t quite favoured it is England. They have had series’ midway through a season and thus not many players have appeared in the IPL. But ahead of the auction for the 10th edition, it is learnt that allrounder Ben Stokes is keen on playing the IPL.

Last year, he had denied playing the league despite a few of his teammates opting for it. Jos Buttler was the biggest beneficiary of them all. The wicketkeeper-batsman sizzled in the IPL and has since been a hot property with the English team as well. Though that came at a cost and he had to skip almost the entire county season and wasn’t considered for the Test team.

As far as the base price he would want his bids to start with is considered. Stokes has placed it at the best and as per The Times would want to be paid at least £238,000 for participating in the tournament. Though it will be interesting to see for what duration of the league he makes himself available. The IPL will be played from April 5 to May 21. England, on the other hand, will play the first ODI against Ireland on May 5 and the second a couple of days later.

With the Champions Trophy in hindsight, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has planned a training and preparation camp in Europe from May 16 to 19 for the players included in the ODI squad ahead of the home series against South Africa which will be followed by the CT in June. Like skipper Eoin Morgan had done in the past Stokes might opt to skip the Ireland series but will have to report by May 1 for the camp in any case.

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It is also believed that more than two franchises are interested in signing the allrounder who has in the last one year shown immense capability both as a batsman and bowler and will definitely be a hot property in the IPL 2017 auction.