He was picked by Mumbai Indians in the SA20 but could not participate due to an injury.
The England Test captain Ben Stokes was spotted with the Mumbai Indians officials on Saturday. Social media immediately picked up on it, sparking speculation among fans on whether he is joining the franchise for IPL 2025.
As per the reports, the MI personnel received Stokes at the airport on his arrival in Mumbai.
The Hardik Pandya-led side has turned things around after a poor start to the campaign, and is pretty much in the playoffs race. They have won five out nine matches in the season, with a healthy net run-rate of 0.673. Adding Stokes to the squad would bolster them but how much truth is there in the rumours?
Ben Stokes had not registered for the IPL 2025 auction, and therefore he can not be roped in by any team as a replacement for this season.
Moreover, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had introduced a rule that any player who skips the mega auction would not be eligible to register for a mini auction. As a result, Stokes can not be a part of the IPL until 2027.
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The real reason behind Stokes’ visit to India was his commitment with Red Bull. He is one of their brand ambassadors, and was in the country to shoot an interview alongside KL Rahul, who is also a Red Bull ambassador. The pair was spotted together, where Stokes could be heard wishing Rahul for the remainder of the IPL 2025.
So why did Mumbai Indians personnel receive the Englishman? It could well be down to the SA20 connection. MI Cape Town had acquired the all-rounder for the 2025 edition but Stokes could not participate due to an injured knee. The MI franchise is known for its hospitality to its players across the world, and this seems to be one of those instances.
Stokes had suffered a left hamstring injury in December. He underwent a surgery in the new year, and has been out of action since.
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