Ben Stokes is being groomed as a imaginable long-term captain of Chennai Super Kings as he prepares to begin the Indian Premier League this 12 months as a expert batsman. The all-rounder heads into the match with English palms crossed that he’s have compatibility to play a complete function within the Ashes this summer season after a longstanding knee damage curtailed his function with the ball all through the hot 1-1 Test collection in New Zealand.
Fresh scans are mentioned to have come again transparent however England’s Test captain has just lately had a cortisone injection and won’t bowl at the beginning of the eight-week match that begins on Friday. CSK, who signed Stokes for £1.6m, start on Friday in opposition to Gujarat Titans.
England are banking on sturdy traces of communique between the scientific group and their equivalents at CSK to verify Stokes is in a position for summer season. Brendon McCullum, the Test head trainer, has mentioned he’ll be in common discussion with Stephen Fleming, his fellow New Zealander and previous captain, who’s accountable for the franchise’s first group.
Having paid a hefty sum for his services and products in the newest public sale, CSK are obviously invested within the health of Stokes and no longer simply within the brief time period. Separate resources have mentioned Stokes was once no longer simply purchased as a participant, however as a imaginable candidate for the captaincy down the road.
CSK will as soon as once more be led via MS Dhoni this season however with the 41-year-old within the autumn of his profession – and Ravindra Jadeja’s try on the function remaining season a short-lived and unsatisfied experiment – a successor shall be required.
As such, the brand new marketing campaign is being considered as a case of integrating the 32-year-old Stokes into the dressing room and the franchise at massive, whilst the participant makes an attempt to get again to all-rounder standing prior to the problem in opposition to Australia starts at Edgbaston on 16 June.
“I want a fit Ben Stokes playing his best cricket at the Ashes,” Mike Hussey, the CSK batting trainer, mentioned just lately. “I want both teams at their best, going hard at it and I think it will be an unbelievable series to watch.”
As smartly as Stokes, England’s scientific group of workers shall be tracking the health of Jofra Archer and Mark Wood from a distance, with the 2 speedy bowlers enjoying for Mumbai Indians and Lucknow respectively.
The problem is how the pair succeed in the considered necessary workloads for red-ball cricket when bowling 4 overs in a Twenty20 match. England’s first Test of the summer season in opposition to Ireland begins on 1 June – 3 days after the IPL concludes.