In what comes as a huge blow for Punjab Kings ahead of the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), their star opener Jonny Bairstow has reportedly been ruled out of the entire tournament to prepare for the Ashes, scheduled to be played in June and July.
Bairstow had to miss the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 after he injured his left leg while playing golf earlier in September. England went on to win the tournament, led by Jos Buttler.
The 33-year-old wicket-keeper batter resumed training in the nets last month after a successful surgery. However, he is said to be considering sitting out the IPL 2023 to prioritise his recovery. He last played cricket in August 2022 during Tests against South Africa at home.
Who will replace Jonny Bairstow?
After the conclusion of the 2022 edition, Punjab Kings made the decision to not retain their former captain Mayank Agarwal. They also refrained from purchasing any other opener considering Jonny Bairstow in the squad.
With Bairstow out of the picture for the entire season, Punjab Kings are left with a daunting task of finding a replacement for him. They may consider their recent signing, Harpreet Bhatia, as a potential solution.
Meanwhile, Jitesh Sharma is expected to take up the wicket-keeping duties, with Bhanuka Rajapaksa serving as his backup.
Punjab Kings will kick off its IPL 2023 campaign against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 1 at Mohali. Shikhar Dhawan will be leading the team this year.
Punjab Kings IPL 2023 Squad:
Shikhar Dhawan, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Chahar, Arshdeep Singh, Harpreet Brar, Raj Angad Bawa, Prabhsimran Singh, Rishi Dhawan, Jitesh Sharma, Baltej Singh Dhanda, Atharva Taide, Liam Livingstone, Kagiso Rabada, Jonny Bairstow, Nathan Ellis, Bhanuka Rajapakse, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Harpreet Bhatia, Vidwath Kaverappa, Mohit Rathee, Shivam Singh
