Ben Stokes passes up on the recent Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction to prolong his England domestic career.
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STOKES PASSES UP ON IPL AUCTION TO LOOK ‘AFTER MY BODY’
Stokes passes up on the IPL auction to look “after my body” as he enters the twilight of his career.
Furthermore, the 33-year-old English all-rounder cited his recovery from left knee surgery as a result of a torn right hamstring.
The injury prompted Stokes to manage his priorities, thus choosing to prolong his England domestic career.
“There’s just so much cricket. There’s no hiding behind the fact that I’m at the back-end of my career,” Stokes told BBC Sport in Christchurch ahead of England’s first Test against New Zealand.
“I obviously want to play as long as I possibly can. Looking after my body and looking after myself as much as I can is key to that,” he added.
ALL-ROUNDER TO WEAR ENGLAND SHIRT ‘FOR AS LONG AS I CAN’
Moreover, the veteran all-rounder wants to wear the England shirt “for as long as I can” and not risk his body from the wear-and-tear of cricket action.
Furthermore, Stokes missed four England Tests due to a hamstring injury he sustained in August.
“It’s about looking at what I’ve got ahead and making the decision that is right for me to be able to prolong my career as long as possible,” Stokes said.
“I want to be wearing this England shirt as long as I can,” he added.
Meanwhile, the veteran cricketer is looking to help England on the Ashes tour of Australia next winter.
‘NEED TO ADAPT’ IS ENGLAND’S FOCUS WHILE PLAYING IN ‘AMAZING’ NZ, SAYS STOKES
Meanwhile, a “need to adapt” to different playing conditions is England’s focus, Stokes said, while playing in “amazing” New Zealand.
Furthermore the Christchurch-born cricketer, who started playing for England since 2011, looks forward to the upcoing Test series.
“It’s amazing in New Zealand. You can loo at a wicket and it plays completely different to what it looks like,” Stokes said.
“We’ll have to see how we go tomorrow, see what conditions we’re faced as the game goes further, and if we need to adapt to anything we’ll try to do that,” he added.
Stokes hopes to lead Engand, which have not won a Test series in New Zealand in four attempts since 2008.
