Ben Stokes finds interest from Gujarat Lions and Pune for IPL

With the IPL not too far away, team managements have already started to look at finalising their roster for the tenth edition of the most popular T20 league in the world. Given the nature of T20 cricket, quality all-rounders have always been in demand.

Ben Stokes, with his perfect fit for the T20 format, would have been a shoo-in into any IPL team, but has avoided the cash-rich league until now. The all-rounder has finally decided to throw his hat in the ring this year.

There are some roadblocks, however, before Stokes can don an IPL jersey. England is scheduled to host Ireland for an ODI series in early May, and that is the time the IPL is in the middle stages. Franchises fear that Stokes, and other English players like Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy and Alex Hales, might have to leave India for national duty. The England and Wales Cricket board, however, has still not confirmed the Ireland series, thus putting franchises in doubt whether or not to go for Stokes.

"If English players (and Ben Stokes is certainly one) make themselves available for the entirety of the tournament, they are bound to create a flutter or two," RPS' CEO Raghu Iyer said.

"If I told you that we are not looking at him as an option, then that certainly will not be the case. He is definitely an option. But I will not tell you whether he fits into our scheme of things or not. Ideally, when you take in a player, you bring him in with the understanding that he will be available for all games," the New Indian Express quoted Singh as saying.

Although Stokes was already an established all-rounder, his performances with the bat and the ball on the ongoing tour of India have shown what he is capable of doing in Indian conditions also. His performances might guarantee him a hefty paycheck only if he can confirm his availability for the entire IPL.

Update: The nature of English cricketers' contracts with the England and Wales Cricket Board stipulate that players stand to lost a percentage of their of their annual salary every day they are on IPL duty. The Board has separate contracts for Test and White-ball cricketers. Ben Stokes, who has a Test contract will lose 0.5% of his annual compensation, around £700,000 each day he is in India. Players like Jason Roy and Eoin Morgan, who have white-ball contracts loe 1% of their salary every day, going down to 0.7% after 21 days.