The ODI Cricket World Cup 2023 is set to get underway in less than a couple of months’ time with India set to host the mega event. England are the defending World Cup champions, having won the title back in 2019 after a ‘Super Over’ win over New Zealand. Now Jos Buttler-led side is set to get a massive boost ahead of the tournament.
England and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Ben Stokes is set to make a sensational ‘U-turn’ and reverse his ODI retirement to help England’s World Cup 2023 defence in India this year, even if it means missing out on next season’s Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. Stokes retired from ODI cricket in July last year but England always hoped that he could return for the World Cup, which takes place in India from October 5.
The England Test skipper has indicated to England that he is prepared to reverse his decision, and is set to be picked in Jos Buttler’s squad. The selectors will meet to pick the squad on Tuesday.
While concerns linger over the chronic injury in Stokes’s left knee, which might require an operation at some stage, UK’s Telegraph newspaper reported that he would be prepared to miss IPL 2024 if he needed a gap in his schedule to help him recover.
Stokes has an IPL deal with MS Dhoni-led CSK which won the 2023 title, worth Rs 16.25 crore a year, but he is believed to be willing to risk missing next season’s competition to help England’s World Cup defence. As Test captain, Stokes is set to lead England on a five-Test tour of India in the new year, and it had been expected that he would rest for much of the remainder of 2023 to ready his body for the tour. Instead, he will head to India or the World Cup.
“Stokes would be likely to bat in the middle order for England’s ODI side. Amid fears about how much bowling he could do, England are prepared to pick him as a specialist batsman – replicating the role that he performed at stages during this summer’s Ashes,” the Telegraph report stated.
Updates on Ben Stokes (Telegraph):
- He's set to play the 2023 World Cup.
- He'll risk his participation in IPL 2024 in order to help England.
- He will bat in the middle order.
- He's set to play as a specialist batter. pic.twitter.com/S3FhfWM78Z— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) August 14, 2023
Stokes was ‘Player of the match’ when England won the 2019 World Cup after a remarkable ‘Super Over’ against New Zealand. He also scored a match-winning 52 not out when England lifted last year’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Melbourne against Pakistan.
All squads for the World Cup must be submitted to the International Cricket Council by September 5 – before England’s next ODI – but teams are free to make changes to their squad until September 27. England have four ODIs against New Zealand and three against Ireland in September, before the final deadline to make changes. Stokes is likely to be carefully managed through these games.
The report also stated that England hope to take Mumbai Indians pacer Jofra Archer to the World Cup. England are prepared to take the pace bowler even if he is only fully fit to play in their most important matches.
While each country is only permitted to pick 15 players in their full World Cup squads, they are also allowed to take three travelling reserves.
