England test captain Ben Stokes says he opted out of the bidding in the Indian Premier League to prioritize playing international cricket in what he described as the “back end” of his career.

Ben Stokes focusing on managing 'back end' of England career after IPL decision - Captain sat out of lucrative T20 tournament in bid to ease his workload

Captain Ben Stokes says he opted out of the Indian Premier League auction in order to prolong his England career.

Ben Stokes admits he is managing "the back end of my career" after choosing to skip the Indian Premier League and prioritise his time in international cricket.

England's Test cricket captain Ben Stokes opted out of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25. Stokes, who has played for several IPL franchises,

Stokes made his debut in IPL in the 2014 season, following that, he has played 45 matches in the tournament and scored 935 runs at a strike rate of 133.95 and an average of 24.60.

Ben Stokes has revealed he did not to enter the IPL mega auction to strip back his playing commitments as he attempts to prolong the twilight of his career. Stokes was a notable omission from the list of 52 Englishmen signed up for the mega auction in Jeddah for the 2025 competition.

England captain Ben Stokes has explained why he skipped this year's IPL auction as he prepares for a huge Test series.