CHENNAI, India (AP) — England test captain Ben Stokes has made himself unavailable for the 2024 Indian Premier League “to manage his workload and fitness,” the Chennai Super Kings said Thursday.

Stokes said during the recently completed Cricket World Cup that he would be undergoing left knee surgery after the tournament in an effort to be fit for England's five-test tour of India, which starts Jan. 25.

He also wants to play a part in England's title defense of the Twenty20 World Cup in the United States and the Caribbean in June. That takes place after the IPL.

“The Chennai Super Kings management is supportive of Ben in his decision to manage his workload,” the team said.

Stokes was the five-time IPL champions' most expensive purchase at the auction ahead of the 2023 season. He played just two games before ruling himself out of the rest of the season, ahead of playing for England in every test of the Ashes series against Australia.

The Super Kings didn't say if they intended to retain the services of Stokes ahead of the auction for the IPL in 2025.

Stokes said he was undergoing surgery so he could return to being an allrounder. He barely bowled during the Ashes because of his longstanding knee problem and was only used as a batter in the World Cup, where England failed to reach the semifinals in its underwhelming title defense.

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