Ben Stokes, Rajasthan Royals all-rounder, has been ruled out of the current Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 due to a fractured finger. The Rajasthan Royals announced the news on Twitter. “Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Ben Stokes injured a finger on his left hand while fielding during the team’s match against Punjab Kings on 12 April 2021 in Mumbai, and subsequent inquiries found that he suffered a broken finger, putting him out for the remainder of the Indian Premier League 2021 season,” Rajasthan Royals said in an official statement.
“Everyone at Rajasthan Royals absolutely admires Ben for being such a huge asset and a valuable member of the Royals family, both on and off the field, and wishes him a speedy recovery,” the statement further read.
The Rajasthan Royals have also announced that Stokes has agreed to remain with the club, and they will begin looking for a substitute for the England all-rounder as soon as possible.
“We are delighted that Ben would like to stay with the group to provide his valued support and inputs off the field. In the meantime, we will be reviewing potential replacement options for the remainder of the season,” the official statement read.
Stokes bowled only one over against Punjab Kings on Monday and appeared to be in pain after taking a low diving catch to dismiss Punjab Kings’ Chris Gayle.
The 29-year-old continued to play but did not bowl during the contest. Stokes only lasted three deliveries with the bat before top-edging a delivery to KL Rahul.
Jofra Archer has been cleared to start light training this week after surgery, but it’s unclear whether he’ll be ready to play for the Royals again in the IPL in 2021. RR would still fail to find a fitting substitution for Stokes in the absence of the England international.
RR was defeated by Punjab Kings by 4 runs in their first match of the IPL 2021 season on Monday after struggling to chase down a 222-run target while coming close. On Thursday, the Rajasthan Royals will play the Delhi Capitals in their second game.
