The Indian Premier League (IPL) has seen a flurry of player replacements after the tournament was put on hold due to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan. The break, which lasted a week, was initially scheduled to end with the final on May 25, but the conclusion was pushed back to June 3.
Several players had returned home during the break, and some didn’t come back due to injuries or international commitments. Here’s a look at the replacements that were made:
New Arrivals
Punjab Kings brought in Kyle Jamieson to replace the injured Lockie Ferguson, who suffered a hamstring injury on April 13. Jamieson was signed for ₹2 crore.
Rajasthan Royals, who were already out of the tournament, made two replacements. They brought in Luan-Dre Pretorius for ₹30 lakh to replace Nitish Rana, who was sidelined with a knee injury. Nandre Burger replaced Sandeep Sharma, who had a finger injury, for ₹3.5 crore.
Delhi Capitals signed Mustafizur Rahman for ₹6 crore to replace Jake Fraser-McGurk, who chose not to return to India after the tournament was put on hold.
Gujarat Titans replaced Jos Buttler, who had to leave due to national duties, with Kusal Mendis for ₹75 lakh.
Lucknow Super Giants brought in Will O’Rourke to replace Mayank Yadav, who was struggling with an injury throughout the season. O’Rourke was signed for ₹3 crore.
Back in the Fray
Rajat Patidar, the RCB captain, suffered a finger injury against CSK on May 3. Initially, it seemed like he might miss the remaining league-stage matches. However, he has rejoined the team and is likely to lead them against KKR in Bengaluru.
These changes will likely shake up the dynamics of the remaining matches, and fans are eagerly waiting to see how these new players will impact their teams’ chances.