The 17th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is upon us and opening game of the season is just eight days away. Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are set to lock horns against Faf du Plessis' led Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. While most of the Indian and foreign players have joined their respective teams, there have been last minute withdrawals from a few cricketers, especially from overseas, due to different reasons. Let us look at the players unavailable and injured team-wise:
Lucknow Super Giants
Mark Wood was one of the first names to pull out of IPL 2024 with England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) playing a role in it. The fast bowler played three out of five Tests in India and his workload is being managed ahead of the T20 World Cup and the home summer. LSG have named Shamar Joseph as his replacement.
Gujarat Titans
IPL 2022 champions and the runners up of last season Gujarat Titans will miss Mohammed Shami who underwent surgery last month for his heel injury. Shami hasn't played since the World Cup and is set to be on the sidelines for at least next three to four months. The franchise is yet to name a replacement for him.
Meanwhile, GT's wicketkeeper-batter Matthew Wade is likely to miss the first two matches of the team. Wade will be featuring in the Sheffield Shield final, from March 21 to 25, for Tasmania.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Two more England players have pulled out for different reasons and KKR is the team to suffer. Jason Roy recently pulled out citing a busy year ahead and wanting to spend time with the family. Phil Salt has been named as his replacement.
Prior to Roy, Gus Atkinson had withdrew from the cash-rich, again with ECB managing his workload. Dushmantha Chameera has replaced him in the squad but even the Sri Lanka fast bowler is now injured and is missing the ongoing ODI series against Bangladesh.
KKR skipper Shreyas Iyer is also an uncertainty at the moment with his back issues resurfacing during the Ranji Trophy final. He didn't take the field on the fourth day and is still off it on the last day of the final. As of now, it has been reported that he is a doubtful starter for KKR in the first few games of IPL 2024.
Rajasthan Royals
Rajasthan Royals will miss their fast bowler Prasidh Krishna for the second consecutive IPL season. Krishna has been injury prone for the past couple of years and underwent quadriceps surgery last month. He will now undergo rehabilitation at the NCA in Bengaluru. The Royals are yet to name a replacement for him.
Chennai Super Kings
Chennai Super Kings opener Devon Conway sustained a thumb injury recently and underwent a surgery for the same. Although nothing has been official yet, the Kiwi batter is expected to be out of action for eight weeks. It remains to be seen if CSK wait for him to join in the second half of the season or announce a replacement in the due course.
Delhi Capitals
Harry Brook is the latest player to pull out of the tournament due to personal reasons. The cricketer also revealed the reason for the same as he and his family is grieving the passing away of his grandmother.
Moreover, Delhi Capitals is still waiting on the injury update of pacer Jhye Richardson who has been away from the action since the Big Bash League (BBL).
