Last Updated:
England will face India in a five-match Test series next year and also travel to Australia to take part in the 2025–26 edition of Ashes.
Ben Stokes likely to miss IPL 2025. (Picture Credit: Sportzpics)
England men’s Test cricket team captain Ben Stokes is all set to miss the 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League. According to a report in The Telegraph on Saturday (November 2), Stokes will skip the cash-rich league next year to prioritise playing Test cricket for England. England is all set to host India in a five-match Test series next year, and in addition to that, they will also travel to Australia to take part in the 2025–26 edition of Ashes.
Stokes is expected to lead a number of England players opting out of the 2025 IPL, prioritising a pivotal year for England’s Test team instead.
The deadline to register for IPL’s mega auction is Sunday, November 3, and many English players could opt to sit out of the cash-rich league next year.
Stokes last played in the IPL in 2023 and skipped the 2024 edition. In the IPL, Stokes has played for the Rising Pune Super Giants, Rajasthan Royals, and Chennai Super Kings. He was signed for Rs 16.25 crore by the Chennai-based franchise in the IPL 2023 auction but could only manage to play in two matches for the franchise due to fitness-related issues.
Harry Brook and Mark Wood also opted out of IPL last year, and there are question marks over their participation in 2025 as well. Both Brook and Wood are integral parts of England’s Test team, along with Stokes.
Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Sam Curran, Liam Livingstone, Will Jacks, Reece Topley, and Jonny Bairstow were among the top English players that participated in the 2024 edition of the cash-rich league, but none of them were retained by their respective franchises. They are, however, expected to register for the 2025 mega auctions as well.
The mega auction for IPL 2025 is reportedly set to take place in the last week of November. While BCCI hasn’t confirmed any venue for the two-day event, it has been reported that it will take place either in Riyadh or Jeddah.
