Ben Stokes out of IPL 2021 with suspected broken hand: Reports

Ben Stokes is an English all-rounder who plays for Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League. He has been playing for the franchise since 2018 and hasn't had a title-winning success so far. RR is off to a losing start in IPL 2021, having finished bottom last season.

Rajasthan Royals has been dealt with a significant blow even before its 2021 Indian Premier League campaign could adequately get underway. English all-rounder Ben Stokes has been reportedly ruled out of IPL 2021 entirely after suffering a notable injury, what is suspected to be a broken hand.

It supposedly happened on Monday evening when Stokes was playing for RR in its opening game against Punjab Kings. As Stokes attempted to take a catch at the boundary to get rid of Chris Gayle, he seemingly hurt his left hand. Although he participated in the entire match thereon, which RR eventually lost by four tuns, it was probably later when things started to get worse.

According to a report by The Independent, Stokes will be in India for a week, as he would undergo an X-Ray to determine the extent of the injury. Meanwhile, RR and the England and Wales Cricket Boardarealready in regular talks to manage his injury.

The injury would be a severe setback for RR, which is already without prolific English pacer Jofra Archer. He recently underwent surgery on his right hand and is also recovering from elbow discomfort. While he is set to miss a few of the matches, he is expected to be back, at least at the tournament's later phase.

Meanwhile, Stokes' injury gives ECB a stiff headache. England players are likely to miss the competition's knockouts to participate in the Tests series against New Zealand at home during the summer. As of now, it seems like Stokes might miss out on it as well.