England all-rounder Ben Stokes set to join Rajasthan Royals

England all-rounder Ben Stokes is set to join his Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals after missing the first two weeks of the Twenty20 tournament, the team said.

New Zealand-born Stokes was in Christchurch with his ailing father, who has been battling cancer, and pulled out of the Pakistan Test series in August.

The star player will have to undergo a six-day quarantine in the UAE, according to the IPL rules, before being available for selection in the Smith-led squad.

Royals tweeted a picture of their star player on a flight after asking a question, “How long does it take from Christchurch to UAE (United Arab Emirates)?”.

“Ben (Stokes) is a quality player, adds to our squad once he’s arrives,” Captain Steve Smith said.

Stokes, 29, put up a picture with his family on instagram on Friday with a caption, “goodbyes never get easier.”