England’s newly-appointed Test captain Ben Stokes, who recently retired from ODI cricket can be a great prospect for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, he has made his intentions clear that his focus is on Test cricket and he would also be available for T20s as well.
With this, it can be understood that he would be available for various T20 leagues across the globe too. And, IPL teams can target him for the next season as well. However, Ben Stokes is a premium all-rounder and played 43 IPL matches. And, here are the teams which can target him as well.
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1) Mumbai Indians
The most successful franchise in the IPL, Mumbai Indians have failed to reach the playoffs for the last two seasons. The five-time champions will be desperate to get back to the winning zone in the next season as well. While they are known for their big-name signings, they would surely be in the race to sign Ben Stokes too.
On the other hand, Kieron Pollard’s form has dropped and Mumbai Indians might need to plan wisely for him. And, the one player who can come close to Pollard’s impact in T20 cricket is none other than Ben Stokes. The England player is good against pace and can be a good option in the middle order while also helping out the team in the bowling department as well.
2) Punjab Kings
Punjab Kings, despite having a strong squad, struggled miserably to do well in IPL 2022. Although Bhanuka Rajapaksa did well, the team still missed a quality all-rounder in the middle order as well. And, Ben Stokes can become a top target for the franchise in the upcoming season as well. By releasing the players like Shahrukh Khan and others, Punjab Kings could target the big player like Ben Stokes and add him to their already impressive batting line-up where they already have other England cricketers like Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone.
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3) Royal Challengers Bangalore
Royal Challengers Bangalore missed a steady all-rounder in the middle order in IPL 2022. Meanwhile, they also did not have the services of a pace-bowling all-rounder who can trouble the opponent with both the bat and ball. And, Ben Stokes is someone who can fulfil both these roles with ease.
While RCB is known for their big signings, they need to take a few bold calls to get Stokes onboard. With Glenn Maxwell, Josh Hazlewood, and Wanindu Hasaranga are available in the middle, RCB should think about what to do with their captain Faf du Plessis if they want Ben Stokes in the XI as well. However, it will be interesting to see which team will sign Ben Stokes for the IPL 203.
