Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have received a major setback to their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 campaign as their star purchase from the auction, England’s Will Jacks has been ruled out of the upcoming tournament.
According to ESPNcricinfo, Jacks has pulled out of the IPL due to concerns over an injury sustained while fielding for England during the second ODI of the three-match series against Bangladesh. The muscle injury was confirmed after scans, and after consulting with a specialist, Jacks decided to make himself unavailable for the IPL.
Jacks was acquired by RCB at the IPL 2023 auction in December for a significant amount of INR 3.2 crore. The team had brought him in as a cover for Glenn Maxwell in the middle order. The English batter has played only six games for his country so far, scoring 156 runs.
RCB’s management is currently in talks with New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell to replace Jacks. Bracewell, who remained unsold at last year’s auction, is yet to make his IPL debut, but he could be a valuable addition to the RCB team as they prepare for their first match of the season against Mumbai Indians on April 2.
Losing Jacks is undoubtedly a blow to RCB, who will now have to reassess their strategy for the tournament. The team has consistently been among the most high-profile and successful teams in the IPL, but they have yet to lift the trophy. The loss of Jacks could put them on the back foot, but with a replacement in the pipeline, they will still be hoping to compete at the highest level.
The IPL is a highly competitive tournament that attracts some of the world’s best players. Injuries are always a concern for teams, and RCB will have to work hard to ensure that they have a balanced squad that can cope with the rigours of the tournament. They will be hoping that Bracewell can step up to the plate and help the team achieve their goals.
RCB squad for IPL 2023:
Faf du Plessis (captain), Virat Kohli, Glenn Maxwell, Mohammad Siraj, Harshal Patel, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dinesh Karthik, Shahbaz Ahmed, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Akash Deep, Josh Hazlewood, Mahipal Lomror, Finn Allen, Suyash Prabhudessai, Karn Sharma, Siddharth Kaul, David Willey, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Rajan Kumar, Avinash Singh, Sonu Yadav.
