Rajasthan Royals and England all-rounder Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the ongoing IPL edition with a suspected fractured hand. The 29-year-old sustained the injury while taking a catch to get the wicket of Chris Gayle in his side's fixture against Punjab Kings on Monday.
Royals confirmed the development through their official Twitter handle. "Ben Stokes has been ruled out of the IPL following a broken finger in last night's game. He will stay with the Royals and support the rest of the group in the upcoming matches," wrote the franchise.
Stokes ran in from long-on and dived forward to complete the catch. Opening the innings for Royals later in the match, he walked back on a three-ball duck.
Stokes will reportedly remain in India for a week. He will have an X-Ray on Thursday to gauge the extent of the damage. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have already got in touch with the Royals regarding the management of the injury.
Skipper Sanju Samson notched up a ton but the Rajasthan outfit fell short of five runs at the Wankhede Stadium. Stokes' absence will be a major blow for the Royals, who are eyeing to seal play-offs spot after finishing with the wooden spoon last year in the UAE.
