Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler to return to England after KKR game

Bengaluru, May 15: With the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) reportedly asking the players who got selected for the Test series against Pakistan to join the squad two big names are stand to miss the rest of the IPL - Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler.

Both Stokes and Buttler will return to England after playing Rajasthan Royals' match against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens on Tuesday (May 15).

"It's my last game here for the Royals before I head back to England. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and it's been amazing group to be part of and hopefully we can win tonight," said Stokes through a message posted in his team Rajasthan Royals' official Twitter handle.

"Then I will obviously be watching from home if the Royals get through to the play-offs. Hasn't gone as I would have like to personally, but at the end of the day it's about how the team performs," Stokes said.

"In the last three games, we have showed what we can do and hopefully we can continue this good form and go through to the play-offs and hopefully lift the title," he said.

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"I just want to say thank you to all the fans and everybody who have supported us throughout the tournament. Keep sticking with us, we are trying our hearts out every time we step out onto the field. And, all we can ask that you keep supporting us. All the best to everyone going forward. Cheers," Stokes signed off.

Stokes, who was bought by Royals in the IPL auction for Rs 12.5 crore in January earlier this year, the costliest buy in this edition of the IPL, has not been able to deliver the best for his franchise. The England all-rounder has so far scored 185 runs from 12 matches and took a mere five wickets at an economy of 8.72.

On the contrary, Buttler has been in good nick after getting promoted as opener and since then has scored five fifties on the trot - an IPL record he shares with Virender Sehwag. Buttler so far has scored 509 runs from 12 matches at 56.55 and at a strike rate of 153.77.

💥 BIG NEWS 💥

Proud moment for us as @josbuttler gets picked in the England Test Squad! 👏
Here's to an awesome series! 💪

We'll surely miss you, Jos the Boss! 😎#HallaBol

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) May 15, 2018

Royals later announced that Buttler too leave will tge camp after getting selected for the Test series against Pakistan. His absence will be a huge blow for them as skipper Ajinkya Rahane is going through a lean patch and only Sanju Samson has been showing consistency for the Royals.