Chennai Super Kings (CSK) announced on Sunday that England Test captain Ben Stokes has left the franchise to prepare for England's upcoming home summer. Stokes will be gearing up for England's busy schedule, which begins with a one-off Test against Ireland on June 1, followed by the highly anticipated Ashes series starting from June 16 at Edgbaston.
Following their comprehensive 77-run victory over Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday, CSK bid farewell to Stokes as he heads back home for national duty. The franchise shared their support for him, stating, "Home bound for the national duty! We'll be whistling for you, Stokesy! Until next time!"
Stokes, who was Chennai's most expensive signing at last year's mini auction, faced a challenging season marred by injuries. The all-rounder made only two appearances in the league stage of IPL 2023. He featured in Chennai's initial matches against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad and Lucknow Super Giants at Chepauk but was sidelined due to a toe injury for subsequent games. During his limited playing time, Stokes bowled just one over, conceding 18 runs, and scored 7 and 8 runs with the bat.
Initially expected to return to action in late April, Stokes experienced a setback that prolonged his recovery period, as revealed by head coach Stephen Fleming. The left knee injury, which Stokes had been managing prior to IPL 2023, required additional time for rehabilitation.
Despite Stokes' limited contributions, Chennai Super Kings secured a playoffs berth for the 12th time in their IPL history. They will now head back to their home ground and prepare for the Qualifier 1 clash against the top-ranked Gujarat Titans at Chepauk on May 23, seeking a spot in the tournament's final stages.