MS Dhoni led Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are all set to face the costliest loss ahead of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), as their star all-rounder Ben Stokes has decided to withdraw from the mega tournament in a bid to manage his workload and maintain his fitness.
As per reports, CSK have given its support to the choice by the all-rounder. The development has come at a crucial time when the franchise was deliberating on the star all-rounder’s future with the team due to his knee-related injury issues.
As per the development, CSK will be without their most expensive acquisition in the history of the tournament. CSK had purchased Stokes for a staggering INR 16.25 crore (approximately US$ 1.98 million) prior to IPL 2023. However, it had a limited impact for CSK as the star all-rounder could play only two matches for the franchise. The English cricketer failed miserably as he could score only 15 runs and bowl just one over.
Due to his persistent knee troubles, Stokes was primarily utilized as a specialist batsman. However, he failed to make a significant contribution during the franchise’s highly successful campaign.
Notably, Stokes had retired from ODI cricket to be part of England’s campaign in the recently-concluded ICC ODI World Cup 2023. However, he failed to inspire the English team that failed to qualify for the knockout stage following a dismal show in the league phase.