IPL 2023: 5 franchises that could pick Ben Stokes in mini-auction

One of the best all-rounders in cricket, Ben Stokes could spark a bidding war among teams to sign him.

One of the best all-rounders in cricket right now is Ben Stokes. The 2019 World Cup final at Lord’s and the 2019 Ashes Test at Headingley were two of cricket’s finest performances, both of which Stokes masterminded. He has often astounded the globe with his exciting bowling spells as well as his pure batting excellence.

Stokes has excelled in Tests and ODIs more often than not. But the star all-rounder has also proven his mettle in the shorter format. At a strike rate of 130.63, he has 533 runs in 41 T20Is and 25 wickets for his team. The Christchurch native has additionally demonstrated his prowess in the Indian Premier League, scoring 920 runs in 43 games.

Stokes has twice entered the IPL auction scene, and both times, franchises have spent a fortune to secure him. Another bidding war may be in the works given that the 31-year-old is anticipated to be offered at the IPL auction in 2023.

Here are the franchises that could pick Ben Stokes at the upcoming auction:

Sunrisers Hyderabad

Romario Shepherd was acquired by Sunrisers Hyderabad for a staggering INR 7.75 crore for the 15th IPL season. The 27-year-performances, old’s nevertheless, fell short of justifying his price tag. Shepherd had a solid showing with the bat, scoring 58 runs in three games with a strike rate of 141.46, but he had a terrible bowling performance, allowing runs to slip through his fingers at a rate of 10.89. Stokes has entered the IPL auction landscape twice and on both occasions, franchises have broken their bank to rope him. With the 31-year-old expected to feature at the 2023 IPL auction, another bidding war could be on the cards.

Mumbai Indians

At the 2022 mega auction, Mumbai Indians recruited Daniel Sams and Fabian Allen to help in both areas. The pair’s performances, nevertheless, fell short of lighting the stage on fire. Sams played well in the bowling department, taking 13 wickets in 11 games with an economy of 8.81, but he was terrible in the field of play, hitting just 38 runs at a strike rate of 105.56. As a result, the Mumbai franchise struggled to find the right team composition throughout the season. The inclusion of Stokes could help lessen MI’s worries as he can perform the role Hardik Pandya used to in the earlier seasons.

Chennai Super Kings

Shivam Dube, Dwayne Bravo, and Dwaine Pretorious are a few of Chennai Super Kings’ seam-bowling all-around possibilities. But only Dube could bat in the top six of the three. Additionally, although is 39 years old, Bravo is not old. Therefore, after Dhoni hangs up his boots, the addition of Stokes will also give the team a great captaincy option. At the IPL auction in 2023, one can anticipate CSK to go all-out for Stokes.

Punjab Kings

The Punjab Kings did a fantastic job at the 2022 mega auction, packing both their batting and bowling lineups with match-winners. But they failed to sign any top-notch, diverse players who could provide the team with the proper amount of balance. To cover the all-rounder gap, PBKS extensively invested in Odean Smith, but it did not pay off. Smith and Dhawan haven’t been able to leave a lasting impression with their performances, therefore PBKS may decide to look past them and find other candidates who can deliver in both areas. Stokes is one of the best all-around players in the league. May be selected by the Punjab franchise at the upcoming auction.

Rajasthan Royals

At the 2018 IPL auction, Rajasthan Royals engaged in a bidding war to secure Stokes, who they eventually acquired for an astounding INR 12.50 crore. The 31-year-old was an essential part of Rajasthan’s system because of the depth he brought to the team with his all-around strength.

Stokes was connected to RR through the 2021 campaign. The daring player amassed 604 runs in 31 games while playing for the team, taking 16 wickets in the process. Sanju Samson & Co. may decide to reinvest in him at the upcoming auction because he has demonstrated his ability to succeed for Rajasthan.

Additionally, Rajasthan’s previous mega auction selections of batting all-rounders James Neesham and Daryl Mitchell failed to ignite the audience with their performances. In his two innings, Neesham could only muster 31 runs and was unable to make any kind of an impression with the ball. Mitchell, however, only managed to score 33 runs in two games. Due to their inability to fully use