IPL mega auction list includes marquee Indian players like Pant, Iyer, and Rahul, with a total purse of ₹120 crore

England cricket superstar Ben Stokes has praised all NHS workers involved in fighting coronavirus every day.

England's Ben Stokes has said his Australian rival and IPL teammate Steve Smith is a "genius" as well as "strange" as he hailed the number one Test batsman. "He's still strange to play against and he's still strange to play with. And the best thing about it is that he admits it," Stokes said in a podcast broadcast by their Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals on Tuesday. "But I feel to be a genius you have to be a bit strange and you know he's certainly both," Stokes said from Britain. "Personally, I could not think about cricket in the way that he does when it comes to batting.

I could never be like that. Obviously, he's on all the time but that's why he averages 60-plus in Test cricket." The 30-year-old Smith averages over 62 in 73 Tests and improves to 65.11 when playing against arch-rivals England. Smith was the leading scorer in the 2019 Ashes in England, retained by Australia after the series finished 2-2, with a whopping 774 runs in four matches.

Ben Stokes

"Even though he plays for Australia, biggest rivals England and Australia, you've just got to hold your hands up sometimes to players like that and go 'yeah you're on a different level when it comes to batting,'" said Stokes, who scored 441 runs in five matches during the series. "You have to be on a different level with something to be like those guys when it comes to batting." The flamboyant all-rounder also threw his backing behind Test cricket, saying the five-day format is the "pinnacle" for him and there is no room to tinker with it.

The International Cricket Council has floated the idea of four-day Tests to deal with the cluttered cricket calendar, but the plan met with intense criticism from many within the game.

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England star all-rounder Ben Stokes will run his first ever half marathon on Tuesday to raise funds for the National Health Services (NHS) Charities Together and national children's cricket charity Chance to Shine. The 28-year-old all-rounder who admitted that the longest he had ever run was 8 km, will be running a half marathon near his home. "A half marathon is always been something that I've thought about doing a but never really got around to overdoing it. Obviously we have been in lockdown so I thought what a great option to go out and if I'm going to do it I might as well try and raise some funds for a good cause," Stokes said in an Instagram video.

Stokes got inspired by the efforts of three men who ran full marathons in their back gardens over the weekend. "I will be hopefully inspiring people to make some donations towards the Cricket Garden Marathon, I'm just trying to add some more funds to what they've managed to do for the great cause," said Stokes. "I've done absolutely no training, the longest distance that I've ever run is 8 kilometres. So, I don't even know I'm going to be able to complete it but hopefully, I can," he added.

The left-handed Stokes on April 8 became the first English cricketer since 2005 to be named as Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World. In 2005, Andrew Flintoff was named as Wisden's Leading Cricketer of the Year.

The year 2019 proved as an instrumental year for Stokes as he played a key role in England's first 50-over World Cup win and then he went on to play a memorable inning against Australia during the third Ashes at Headingley.

Also, the English all-rounder was named as ICC's cricketer of the year in January 2020.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

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England star all-rounder Ben Stokes on Tuesday ran his first half marathon to raise funds for the National Health Services (NHS) Charities Together and national children's cricket charity Chance to Shine. The 28-year-old all-rounder completed the run in the one hour 39 minutes and 41 seconds. Stokes who has played 63 Test and 95 ODIs for England completed the marathon near his home and made an appeal to fans to donate towards the foundation.

"Please donate! That was so hard! it's all for a great cause: the NHS Charities Together and Chance to Shine foundation if you can please go and donate," said Stokes in a video posted on Instagram. "Guys please check my story if you are able to help out and donate towards @NHSCharities and @Chance2Shine ..I've just competed a half marathon to support the 3 guys with their efforts to raise money who did a full marathon in their back gardens," wrote Stokes on Instagram.

The left-handed Stokes on April 8 became the first English cricketer since 2005 to be named as Wisden's Leading Cricketer in the World. In 2005, Andrew Flintoff was named as Wisden's Leading Cricketer of the Year. The year 2019 proved as an instrumental year for Stokes as he played a key role in England's first 50-over World Cup win and then he went on to play a memorable inning against Australia during the third Ashes at Headingley.

Also, the English all-rounder was named as ICC's cricketer of the year in January 2020.

Catch up on all the latest sports news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates.

Mid-Day is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@middayinfomedialtd) and stay updated with the latest news

This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

England cricket hero Ben Stokes, football ace Raheem Sterling and athletics star Dina Asher-Smith lead the nominees for the 2019 Sports Personality of the Year award.

CHRIS STOCKS IN JOHANNESBURG: Ben Stokes has avoided a ban for swearing at a fan against South Africa after accepting a charge for uttering an 'audible obscenity'.

Ben Stokes' father Ged is finally on his way home to New Zealand after being taken to hospital two days before Christmas last month. He was in critical condition at one stage.

The NHS Charities Together Cup has been organised to raise money to fight against the outbreak of the coronavirus, with the eight teams named after figures in Greek mythology.

It's Hot or Not time again as Sportsmail's Ian Ladyman reveals what's been making him feel warm and what's been leaving him cold this week.

England cricket hero Ben Stokes, football ace Raheem Sterling and athletics star Dina Asher-Smith lead the nominees for the 2019 Sports Personality of the Year award.

The BBC unveiled their six-strong shortlist for this year's Sports Personality of the Year on Monday. The public will vote on December 15 with the winner crowned in Aberdeen that night.

OLIVER HOLT: Ben Stokes stopped the sporting world last year with two magical moments. There are six credible SPOTY candidates, but Stokes would get my vote.

With another year's end came another installment of SPOTY, as England cricket star Ben Stokes picked up the honour. Sportsmail went behind the scenes to capture the special moments on reel.

Moeen Ali believes that 'legend in the making' Ben Stokes is England's greatest ever all-rounder. Moeen has ranked his England colleague above the likes of Sir Ian Botham and Andrew Flintoff.

Ben Stokes' epic performance in England's miraculous one-wicket win over Australia at Headingley has seen him rise to a career-high 13th in the official Test batting rankings.

PAUL FARBRACE: What we saw at Headingley from Ben Stokes was the performance of a cricketer who has matured as a person and now fully understands what he's capable of.

England cricket star Ben Stokes endured a tough time behind the wheel in the second Formula One Essports Virtual Grand Prix.

Stuart Broad and Ben Stokes will compete in the Brazilian F1 Virtual GP against the likes of Charles LeClerc, Alex Albon, George Russell and AC Milan captain Alessio Romagonoli.

Ben Stokes has been withdrawn from England's tour match in Sri Lanka due to an abdominal issue which team management insist is unrelated to Coronavirus concerns.

Ben Stokes, the hero of England's dramatic World Cup triumph and the miracle of Headingley last summer, has been named the leading cricketer in the world.

With no cricket to fill the live schedules as a result of the coronavirus lockdown, Ben Stokes rewatched his 'miracle of Headlingley' for the first time with his epic 135 not out performance.

NASSER HUSSAIN IN CAPE TOWN: Ben Stokes is one of the best and most complete fielders in world cricket. I can only really think of Chris Jordan as someone who comes anywhere near him.

NASSER HUSSAIN IN PORT ELIZABETH: When the ICC asked me to vote for my world cricketer of the year, it was an absolute no-brainer. I just ticked the box that said Ben Stokes.

TOP SPIN AT THE TEST: Ben Stokes became the sixth England player to appear on the Lord’s honours boards both for scoring a century and now taking five or more wickets in an innings.

The BBC unveiled their six-strong shortlist for this year's Sports Personality of the Year on Monday. The public will vote on December 15 with the winner crowned in Aberdeen that night.

OLIVER HOLT: Ben Stokes stopped the sporting world last year with two magical moments. There are six credible SPOTY candidates, but Stokes would get my vote.

Australia may have retained the urn but couldn't do enough to win the 2019 Ashes series as England clinched a 135-run fifth Test victory to level the scores.

RICHARD GIBSON: As the ghost writer of a soon-to-be-published memoir of Ben Stokes' summer, I have been given the privilege of re-living these momentous events through his eyes.

Stokes struck an unbeaten 84 in the final against New Zealand on the way to England's maiden World Cup title and then crashed a barely-believable 135 not out to keep the Ashes alive at Headingley.

The Ashes star was seen with his hand in wife Clare Stokes' face at the Professional Cricketers' Association Awards Anniversary party in London last Wednesday.

England's top cricketer was seen with his hand on Clare Stokes's face at the Professional Cricketers' Association party in London last Wednesday.

Stokes has enjoyed an unforgettable year, playing a starring role in the historic World Cup victory at Lord's then producing one of Test cricket's greatest ever innings in the Third Ashes Test.

Ben Stokes has revealed being sledged relentlessly by David Warner was the motivation behind his stunning match-winning century against Australia at Headingley in August.

In the first of our series looking back at the greatest moments of the sporting year, we reflect on Ben Stokes's incredible innings in the third Ashes Test at Headingley.

With another year's end came another installment of SPOTY, as England cricket star Ben Stokes picked up the honour. Sportsmail went behind the scenes to capture the special moments on reel.

Stokes' incredible performances in the World Cup, not least in the Lord's final, and his unforgettable match-winning century in the Ashes Test at Headingley saw him land the prestigious prize.

EXCLUSIVE BY LAWRENCE BOOTH: Stokes and Leach pulled off an incredible run chase at Headingley in 2019 by chasing more than they had ever managed to keep Ashes alive.

Ben Stokes is glued to the aftermath of his miracle at Headingley on television and, revealingly, finds his thoughts immediately turning to the opposition. 'I remember watching this in The Test,' says Stokes.

Stokes was due to be playing with Smith this month for the Rajasthan Royals but the IPL has been postponed indefinitely because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Chance to Shine is a national cricket charity that delivers cricket coaching sessions in a quarter of primary schools in England & Wales every year.

England all-rounder Ben Stokes has run his first-ever half marathon to raise money for Britain's National Health Service amid the coronavirus pandemic which has so far claimed more than 30,000 lives in the UK.

When asked if cricket might lose its competitive edge in such an atmosphere Stokes, 28, said that even without fans the players would still be going out to win.

Footballers and cricketers join Formula One regulars for the Formula One Esports Virtual Grand Prix at the rendered Interlagos Circuit.