IPL 2023: Ben Stokes to leave early to prepare for Ireland Test and Ashes

English all-rounder Ben Stokes has found a new home in the Indian Premier League (IPL). During the IPL 2023 mini-auction last December, he was picked up by former four-time champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for a whopping ₹16.25 crore. However, unfortunately for CSK, he would not stay for the whole season.

Stokes is expected to leave early for the upcoming busy English summer, which includes a Test against Ireland, followed by the critical Ashes. Although he had admitted during England's series in Pakistan last month that he was eager to play the entire event, having missed out on IPL 2022, the IPL 2023 schedule, announced last week, needed to make it more convenient for him.

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The IPL 2023 Final occurs on May 28, just four days before the English summer starts with the Ireland Test. Also, with England performing exceptionally well under Ben Stokes' leadership, having not lost a Test under him so far, he would want the Three Lions to get off to a perfect start in the 2023-25 ICC World Test Championship campaign.

"Yes, I'll play [the Ireland Test]. I'll ensure I give myself enough time to get back and play that [Ireland] game. I'll probably get round the individuals and ask them what they want to be ready for the Ashes because those five games are the big ones of the summer, and you've got to think about what lads want," said Stokes, reports ESPNCricinfo.

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"But, what if something was to happen in that game [Ireland] and we lose someone for the Ashes ... It's just one of those where you have to weigh up the options of what the person wants out of that week versus do we need to play that one. Because I'm right in saying that series is bigger than that game against Ireland," concluded Stokes.