‘Read articles not headlines’: Ben Stokes hits back at fan for IPL 2020 preparation remark

England all-rounder Ben Stokes had said that he is keeping himself fit for Indian Premier League 2020 if it happens. In an interview with BBC, Stokes said that IPL 2020 is going to be the next competitive cricket that he will play while confirming his availability for the 13th season of the tournament despite the Covid-19 lockdown in India. However, those comments did not sit down well with the fans as he faced some backlash.

“At the moment my next competitive cricket is going to be in the IPL,” Stokes told BBC.

A Twitter user used this statement to tell Stokes to ‘forget the money and limelight’ and ‘think for everyone’.

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The comments did not go unnoticed as Stokes asked the fans to read the full interview and not just the headline.

This is what Stokes had said in the interview:-

“I have to get my head round that I am playing even though in the back of my mind I know I am probably not. I have to build up and get myself physically in a position that if it does happen I am good to go.

“I cannot take three weeks off and expect the body to be ready for April 20 because it doesn’t work like that. It might happen and if it does I don’t want to be behind.

“There will be a lot of advice given to us and if it was an option to go we will have to take the sensible one.”

Stokes was bought for 12.5 crores by Rajasthan Royals in IPL auction 2018 and is one of 13 English players that could part in the tournament, if it starts on April 15. The chances of that happening are slim as India is lockdown for 21 days due to the coronavirus outbreak in the subcontinent.