Chennai Super Kings will be playing their first match of IPL 2023 on March 31 against Gujarat Titans in the season opener. However, with less than a week left for the match, bad news has struck the Indian camp. The franchise’s superstar overseas signing Ben Stokes will start the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a specialist batter in order to manage an injury to his left knee.
“My understanding is he’s ready to go as a batsman from the start,” ESPNCricinfo quoted CSK’s batting coach Michael Hussey as saying.
“The bowling might (have to) be wait and see. I know he had his first very light bowl yesterday (March 26) since he had his injections in his knee.
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“The physios from Chennai and the ECB are working pretty closely together. My understanding is he won’t be bowling much at all in the first few games of the tournament… it might be a few weeks. I’m not 100% sure, (but we will) hopefully get him bowling at some stage in the tournament,” he added.
Stokes is probably the best all-rounder in the world right now. However, he has been troubled by a recurring injury to his left knee for a few years and with the Ashes series scheduled to start after the conclusion of IPL 2023, the England Cricket Board (ECB) are forced to take extra precautions.