After the injury to regular captain Shreyas Iyer and the withdrawal of Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) brought in English opener Jason Roy on Wednesday to give the team a boost. Roy will not play for Kolkata Knight Riders in Thursday’s game against RCB. Still, he will be eligible for selection in the team’s upcoming game on April 9 against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad. Iyer’s decision to miss the entire season with a back ailment and Shakib’s withdrawal owing to personal and national obligations handed a severe blow to the two-time IPL champions.
Jason Roy, who originally cost Rs 1.5 million, has been acquired by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 2.8 crore for the TATA IPL 2023, according to a statement from KKR. Roy last played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2021 season after making his IPL debut for Gujarat Lions in the 2017 tournament. He participated in five games and scored 150 runs in 2021, including a half-century. The 32-year-old has participated in 64 T20 Internationals for England and has scored 1,522 runs at a strike rate of 137.61 with eight fifty-plus scores.
Live Cricket Score reports that Roy will take over for Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batsman Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who opened their match against Punjab Kings and scored 22 points off of 16 balls. N Jagadeesan is already donning the gloves for the purple brigade.