IPL 2022: Players Don't Want To Comeback To Underperforming Franchises Like Rajasthan: Daniel Vettori On Ben Stokes

Former New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said that great players like Ben Stokes would not prefer to return to an underperforming team like Rajasthan Royals in IPL. 

On Tuesday, the IPL franchises submitted the list of the retained players for IPL 2022. Each franchise could retain a maximum of four players with the deduction of Rs 42 crore from its purse.

Ben Stokes, Jofra Archer released by Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2022

However, Rajasthan Royals retained skipper Sanju Samson along with England’s swashbuckling batter Jos Buttler and Indian youngster Yashasvi Jaiswal. Stokes and England teammate Jofra Archer were released by the franchise. 

Stokes has been out of action from cricket since August after he took an immediate break to focus on his mental health. After injuring his finger, he was also ruled out of IPL 2021 and played only one game against Punjab Kings.

Ben Stokes might have wanted a fresh challenge: Daniel Vettori

Royals haven’t qualified for the knockout stage of IPL in the last three seasons, and even in IPL 2021, they finished in the seventh position with 10 points. Vettori said that Stokes would want to go in the IPL auction and get a better opportunity with a formidable side. 

“For franchises like Rajasthan and Kings who have been underperforming and perennially out of the playoffs, players don’t always want to come back. They want to explore the opportunities and potentially go to a winning franchise,” Vettori told ESPNCricinfo.

“That could be one scenario. The other factor is just his injury and workload concerns and that he and Archer play so much cricket. How are they going to be available for full seasons and we have seen in the past that they haven’t been, so I am sure that those things play a part,” he added.

Stokes joined Rajasthan Royals in 2018 and scored 604 runs along with 16 wickets for the franchise. 

Also Read: IPL 2022 Retention: Kumar Sangakkara Explains Why Jofra Archer And Ben Stokes Weren’t Retained By RR