England icon Ben Stokes snubs £1.6million Indian Premier League payday to focus on ‘workload and fitness’
Ben Stokes has made himself unavailable for the upcoming Indian Premier League season due to fitness issues - which will cost him £1.6million-a-year.
Stokes became the Chennai Super Kings' most-expensive player when he was purchased in last year's auction for the same figure.
Injuries restricted the 32-year-old to just two matches in the 2023 campaign, which saw the Kings pick up their fifth IPL title.
Stokes, who recently came out out ODI retirement to take part in the Cricket World Cup - scored just 15 runs with the bat and bowled only one over, where he was hit for 18 runs.
And he will now forego his £1.6m-a-year salary, with MS Dhoni's side confirming the all-rounder will 'manage his workload and fitness'.
He is set to appear for England in their five-match Test series against India which starts in January, where he is due to undergo knee surgery.
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A statement released from CSK read: "England Test captain, all-rounder Ben Stokes has made himself unavailable for IPL 2024 to manage his workload and fitness.
"Stokes, 32, became a part of the Super Kings ahead of the successful IPL 2023.
"He recently participated in the ODI World Cup 2023, which he came out of retirement for.
"The Chennai Super Kings management is supportive of Ben in his decision to manage his workload with England playing a five-Test series in India before the IPL and then the T20 World Cup in June 2024."
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It remains unclear if the reigning champions will release Stokes from his contract.
Indian cricket franchises have until Sunday to announce their release and retain list for the 2024 campaign.
Commenting on his fitness at the start of the month, Stokes said: "I will hopefully be fine for the Test series [against India].
"I am having surgery after the World Cup. There was a lot of time put into deciding when to get it done.
"The India Test series, which we start at the end of January, I should be fine to go by then."
As well as the 2024 IPL season, Stokes will also be absent for England's white-ball tour of the Caribbean in December.