4 Teams That Can Target Ben Stokes in IPL 2023. Ben Stokes announced his retirement from ODI cricket recently. He said that he would want to focus more on test cricket along with the T20 format. Given the importance Ben Stokes holds for any IPL franchise, it will be a golden opportunity for the IPL teams to grab him.
Ben Stokes has been a premier all-rounder and one of the most sought-after players in the shortest format. Ben Stokes, in 43 innings, has scored 920 runs, along with picking 28 wickets. Since 2017, he has been a part of the Rajasthan Royals team but did not participate in the IPL 2022 mega auction due to personal reasons.
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He will surely be one of the key players to watch out for in the 2023 auction. Let us look at 4 teams that can target Ben Stokes in IPL 2023 auction:
ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE
Royal Challengers Bangalore lacked a premium foreign all-rounder who could chip in with a few lusty blows with the bat and pick wickets in the middle order. Ben Stokes can solve this issue for the RCB franchise if he gets picked by the team management before the IPL 2023 auction.
They will have to consider ways to include him in the playing XI, as RCB already has players such as Faf du Plessis, Maxwell, and Hassaranga, who are sure shot inclusions in the playing X1. But, a player like Ben Stokes will surely be a valuable asset for the RCB team and can change their fortunes in IPL 2023.
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CHENNAI SUPER KINGS
CSK has a season to forget in IPL 2022, where they could win just 4 matches out of 14 and finished the points table in the second last position. It was clearly visible that Chennai Super Kings were struggling with an all-rounder who could finish the innings and get valuable wickets.
Dwayne Bravo looked a shade below par. We all know Jadeja had a tough time with the bat and bowl. If CSK has to get back to winning ways, then they need to find a suitable all-rounder, and Ben Stokes can be the perfect option for them.
MUMBAI INDIANS
Mumbai Indians, the most successful team with 5 IPL trophies, have failed to reach the playoff stage for the last 2 months. A lot of credit for that should go to the poor performance of their seasoned player Kieron Pollard. He had a bad outing in IPL 2022 and was even dropped from the playing XI in the second half.
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Since he has already announced retirement from international cricket, it’s most likely that he may even call it a quit before IPL 2023 auction. In such a situation, they will need someone to fill his boots, and Ben Stokes can be perfect for like replacement.
PUNJAB KINGS
Punjab Kings, although had a good team, they failed to deliver in crunch situations. PBKS lacked a left-handed middle-order batsman who could tear the bowling and play fearless cricket. They must address this situation as early as possible.
Ben Stokes can make the middle-order strong, with the likes of Bairstow and Liam Livingston already making a valuable impact. He can also solve the problem of 5th bowler and help them curtail runs along with getting wickets towards the fag end of the inning.
