IPL 2027 Auction: 3 Teams That Could Target Ben Stokes After International Retirement

England all-rounder Ben Stokes has announced his retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a remarkable career. The England captain will play his final international match in the ongoing third Test against New Zealand at Trent Bridge. However, Stokes has confirmed that he is not retiring from all forms of cricket and will continue to play franchise leagues around the world.

Stokes is already a familiar name in the IPL. He has played 45 matches across six seasons, scoring 935 runs in 44 innings at an average of 24.60 and a strike rate of 133.95. He has also smashed two centuries and two half-centuries. Moreover, with the ball, he has picked up 28 wickets in 38 innings at an economy rate of 8.63, with his best bowling figures being 3/15. Therefore, if Ben Stokes registers for IPL 2027 mini auction, several teams could be interested in signing the experienced all-rounder. 

There is still some confusion over the registration rules for overseas players. According to the Indian Premier League auction rules, an overseas player who does not register for a mega auction cannot register for the following mini auction. Stokes did not sign up for IPL 2025 mega auction, and hence, was not considered for IPL 2026 mini auction. Now, it will be interesting to see if Ben Stokes again registers himself for IPL 2027 mini auction and does the BCCI approve of it. In case it does, let's look at the teams who can target the English legend.

IPL 2027: Teams Most Likely to Bid for Ben Stokes

Chennai Super Kings (CSK)

Chennai Super Kings could also be interested in signing Ben Stokes if he enters the IPL 2027 auction. Stokes previously played for CSK in IPL 2023, but injuries limited him to just two matches, in which he scored only 15 runs. Meanwhile, CSK endured another poor season by finishing eighth on the IPL points table. Although Jamie Overton impressed during IPL 2026, the team still lacked a dependable all-rounder.

In addition, Shivam Dube had an average season and was rarely used as a bowler. Therefore, signing Ben Stokes would solve multiple problems for CSK. His experience, aggressive batting, and useful seam bowling would provide much-needed balance to the squad. Also to note that his inclusion will strengthen the Chennai team in both the batting and bowling departments.

Mumbai Indians (MI)

Mumbai Indians could be one of the strongest teams to target Ben Stokes. The five-time IPL champions had a poor 2026 season, finishing ninth in the points table. The team will be looking to strengthen its squad, and Stokes' all-round ability and leadership experience could make him an attractive option. As a result, the franchise is expected to make major changes to its squad ahead of the next season. Furthermore, there have been rumours about Hardik Pandya possibly being traded to Rajasthan Royals (RR) or Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Rajasthan Royals (RR)

Rajasthan Royals are another franchise that could target Ben Stokes. While they have a strong top order featuring Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Yashasvi Jaiswal, their middle order struggled throughout the season, with Donovan Ferreira being the only consistent performer. Stokes has enjoyed success with Rajasthan Royals in the past. Notably, he played 31 matches for the franchise, scoring 604 runs at a strike rate of 130.45. His familiarity with the team could work in his favour. Meanwhile, with the ball, he scalped 16 wickets with an economy rate of 9.42.