Will T20 WC 2022 final hero Ben Stokes be part of IPL 2023? Which teams could pick him?

Cricket fans may be wondering if England all-rounder Ben Stokes will be available for IPL 2023 mini-auction after his recent heroics in the final of the T20 World Cup 2022 that helped his side lift the title for the second time. According to InsideSport, Stokes has not reached out to the BCCI as of yet but franchises have already shown a lot of interest in his availability. The report suggests that IPL teams are waiting for Stokes' confirmation regarding his availability for the 2023 season. 

“It is too early to say anything. He hasn’t reached out, nor is any information from ECB’s side. Yes, some of the franchises have enquired about his availability," a BCCI source was quoted as saying by InsideSport. 

It is pertinent to note that Stokes missed the last IPL season in order to focus on red-ball cricket. He chose to play in the County Championships instead of the IPL. Following his stint in England's domestic cricket, Stokes was made the captain of the Test team. He replaced Joe Root as the captain of the England Test squad. Stokes played just one match in IPL 2021 before he withdrew from the entire season due to an injury.  

On Sunday, Stokes played a crucial knock of 52 off 49 balls to help his team chase down a low target of 138 runs. Stokes will be one of the biggest names at the IPL 2023 mini-auction should he decide to put his name on the roster. A bidding war is expected to take place for the all-rounder, who has been phenomenal on the field in the last few months. The IPL 2023 mini-auction is scheduled to take place on December 23. Franchises have already been asked to submit the list of their retained players by November 15. 

Stokes' IPL career

As far as Stokes' IPL record is concerned, the New Zealand-born cricketer has played 43 matches in the cash-rich league and has scored 920 runs at an average of 25.56 and with a strike rate of 134.50. He has two hundred and two half-centuries to his name. Stokes has also picked 28 wickets in the tournament at an average of 34.79 and an economy rate of 8.56. Stokes has represented Rajasthan Royals and Rising Pune Supergiants in the IPL. 

Image: Twitter/T20 World Cup