Toby Marshall
The ongoing 16th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been marred by several injury setbacks, leading to some key players being ruled out of the tournament.
The first major setback came when Delhi Capitals’ captain Rishabh Pant was involved in a car accident in December last year and had to withdraw from the IPL. Following Pant’s exit, Mumbai Indians’ star fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah also pulled out of the tournament due to a recurring back problem that has kept him out of action for over six months. He underwent surgery last month in an attempt to regain full fitness.
Another Indian international, Shreyas Iyer, sustained a back injury during the Border Gavaskar Trophy last month and was subsequently ruled out of the IPL.
Despite the excitement surrounding the return of the IPL to its home-and-away format, the teams have been hit hard by injuries to key players. The defending champions Gujarat Titans kicked off the season with a victory over the four-time champions Chennai Super Kings in the opening match. However, the celebrations were short-lived as injuries began to pile up for several teams.
New Zealand’s white-ball skipper Kane Williamson suffered a leg injury while attempting to stop a six during the Gujarat Titans’ opening match against Chennai Super Kings and has been ruled out of the tournament, leaving the squad. WIlliamson has returned home to New Zealand to undergo his rehabilitation process.
The Indian Premier League (IPL), which is widely regarded as one of the most popular cricket tournaments in the world, has seen an unprecedented surge in injuries. The situation has hit hard for two of the tournament’s top teams, Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals, who have lost two and three key players respectively due to injuries.
However, the injury list doesn’t stop there, as other teams such as Punjab Kings, Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Kolkata Knight Riders, and Royal Challengers Bangalore have also been affected by injuries. Among all the teams, Delhi Capitals appear to be the worst-hit, with three of their key players – Anrich Nortje and Sarfaraz Khan along with RIshabh Pant – currently nursing injuries.
Mumbai Indians, who have won the IPL a record five times, are also struggling with injuries as Jhye Richardson, a high-priced acquisition, is out due to a hamstring injury.
Injuries to players have created a last-minute scramble for several teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) to find suitable substitutes, while some franchises are still searching for replacements. One example is Reece Topley, who was expected to fill in for Josh Hazelwood in the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) squad, but suffered an injury while taking a catch on the boundary line.
RCB’s batting coach Sanjay Bangar revealed that Topley is unlikely to feature for the rest of the tournament, during their loss to the Kolkata Knight Riders. Hazelwood is not expected to join the team until mid-April, leaving RCB with a void to fill.
These injuries have thrown teams’ plans into disarray and put pressure on them to find replacements swiftly. These injuries have undoubtedly impacted the teams’ performances and it remains to be seen how they will cope with the absences of their star players.
The preparations for the much-awaited 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League have kickstarted with a bang. Just like the previous year, the tournament will feature a total of ten teams including Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Gujarat Titans, Lucknow Super Giants, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad, Punjab Kings, and Kolkata Knight Riders.
Injuries are a cruel part of any game, they destroy careers and they can hamper the momentum of any side. At times it can be just at the wrong time, as in Shaheen Shah Afridi getting injured late in the most crucial game of his cricketing journey. For others, it can be a long haul of patience and regret as they see their side underperforming while not being able to help.
