Ben Stokes being charged for affray on Monday by England's Crown Prosecution Service for his alleged brawl outside a Bristol nightclub last September has given anxious moments to Indian Premier League franchises
Ben Stokes
Ben Stokes being charged for affray on Monday by England's Crown Prosecution Service for his alleged brawl outside a Bristol nightclub last September has given anxious moments to Indian Premier League franchises with the mega auction just two weeks away. The franchises will closely monitor the developments in the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB), who will "convene within 48 hours to decide on Ben Stokes' availability to represent England."
Stokes, Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale will appear at the Bristol Magistrates' Court soon. Stokes has put himself in the highest R2 crore bracket for the (Jan 27-28) auction. However, yesterday's developments have put doubts in the franchises minds. "It all depends on what decision ECB takes. If they pull him off from all competitions, it will be a massive blow for the IPL. We will keep one eye on what's happening at ECB. Stokes is one of the most valued players at the auction and every team will be looking to have him," a franchisee official told mid-day.
While the ECB is set to withdraw Stokes from England's limited overs squad for the Australia and New Zealand tours, the board recently hinted he may not be prevented from playing in the IPL and would be granted a No Objection Certificate even if charged in the nightclub issue. Stokes recently played for Canterbury in NZ while he remained suspended from international duty.
Stokes was the most expensive player in the last IPL auction with Rising Pune Supergiant splurging R14.5 crore on the all-rounder. This price tag could swell further if his prospects of playing the full tournament brighten with no England call-up possible. Responding to yesterday's announcement, Stokes told his Twitter followers that he is "keen to have an opportunity to clear my name but, on advice, the appropriate time to do this is when the case comes to trial. Until then, my focus is very much on cricket."
Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here
Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go
