England Test captain Ben Stokes has indicated that he is ready to miss the latter stages of IPL, if needed, in order to play the Test match against Ireland starting June 1.
The IPL final is scheduled for May 28, four days before the Test match against Ireland. The Test gains extra significance in light of the five-match Ashes series that follows.
“I’ll be making sure I give myself enough time to get back and play the Ireland game,” said Stokes.
Last year, Stokes was picked up by Chennai Super Kings for INR 16.25 crore and is set to participate in the league after missing the last season altogether.
The Ashes kicks off on June 16 in Edgbaston. The likes of Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Sam Curran, Harry Brook, and Jonny Bairstow will all be at the IPL, and Stokes said that he will discuss with his teammates what is the best way to prepare for the Ashes.
“Those five games are obviously the big one of the summer and you’ve got to think about what lads want,” said Stokes. “What you also have to think about is if something was to happen in the Ireland game and we lose someone for the Ashes.
“It’s just one of those where you have to weigh up the options of what the individual person actually wants out of that week against the need to play in that game.”
