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England and Delhi Capitals (DC) opening batsman Jason Roy has opted out of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 due to a side strain which he sustained at training this week. The right-handed batsman got injured during the English team’s preparation for the limited-overs series against Pakistan and had a scan in Manchester on Wednesday.
In the past, Roy had represented Gujarat Lions and DC in 2017 and 2018, respectively. In five matches for Delhi, the swashbuckling opener had scored 120 runs at an average of 30 and a strike rate of 127.66.
Roy is the second England player who decided to opt-out ahead of IPL 2020. Earlier, DC all-rounder Chris Woakes had decided to skip the cash-rich league and was subsequently replaced by South Africa fast bowler Anrich Nortje.
Roy’s exit will increase the probability of Delhi, including Ajinkya Rahane in their top-order. So now, DC’s top slot comprises of Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, captain Shreyas Iyer, and therefore, accommodating the ‘traded’ Rahane wouldn’t be a difficult task for them.
Daniel Sams replaces Jason Roy
Australia seamer Daniel Sams, who is currently in England as a part of Australia’s 21-member squad for three ODIs and as many T20Is, has been named as Roy’s replacement at Delhi Capitals.
Sams, who represented Sydney Thunder in the last season of the Big Bash League (BBL), picked 30 wickets in 17 T20s at an average of 15.36, an economy rate of 7.83 and a strike rate of 11.7.
In fact, he was the highest wicket-taker in the tournament. Eight more wickets than the second-best bowler (Chris Morris) sort of pressed Sams’ case for a maiden call-up and now a maiden stint in the world’s best T20 league.
In 37 T20 matches so far, the 27-year-old bowler has dismissed 52 batsmen at an average of 18.36 and a strike rate of 13.5. Sams will play for Capitals under Australian head coach and bowling coach in Ricky Ponting and Ryan Harris respectively.
