The second phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 is all set to resume from September 19 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Reigning champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the opening game in Dubai.
However, many foreign players have withdrawn from the competition citing various reasons. While some have opted to stay out because of fitness concerns, others are focusing on the upcoming T20 World Cup 2021, which will start right after the lucrative league.
Due to this, IPL franchises have included many new names who will play for the first time in the cash-rich league.
Here’s the list of foreign players who will play IPL for the first time:
Nathan Ellis
Australian pace sensation Nathan Ellis has replaced Riley Meredith in the Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) outfit. Recently, Ellis grabbed the limelight with a hat-trick on his debut game against Bangladesh. The speedster also got picked as a reserve in Australia’s T20 World Cup squad.
Adil Rashid
PBKS have also roped in quality leg-spinner Adil Rashid to replace Aussie fast bowler Jhye Richardson. Rashid had a base price of INR 1.5 crore but went unsold in the auction held earlier this year. The leggie has picked up 65 wickets at an average of 24.29 in 62 T20Is.
George Garton
Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have signed George Garton for the remainder of the fourteenth season. The left-armer recently played nine matches in The Hundred and picked up 10 wickets. Garton also featured in the T20 Blast 2021, where he bagged nine wickets in six games.
Glenn Phillips
New Zealand keeper-batsman Glenn Phillips will play the remainder of IPL 2021 for Rajasthan Royals (RR). Phillips has replaced Jos Buttler, who opted out of the season as he is expecting the birth of his second child. Phillips is currently playing the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) 2021 for Barbados Royals. He is expected to join the RR squad in the UAE on September 19.
Tim David
RCB has added Tim David in the outfit in place of New Zealand’s Finn Allen. David has become the first player from Singapore to make it to the IPL. David has so far played 49 T20 matches, scoring 1171 runs at a strike rate of 155.09 with six half-centuries.
Wanindu Hasaranga
The Challengers have also included Sri Lanka star Wanindu Hasaranga as a replacement for Aussie leg-spinner Adam Zampa. Hasaranga has shown incredible all-round skills in the recent past to prove his mettle in the shortest format. The leggie has taken 33 scalps in 22 matches.
