Kolkata Knight Riders have suffered yet another injury blow ahead of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2023). After Shreyas Iyer, Lockie Ferguson is set to miss the first few matches for KKR in IPL 2023 as the pacer recently suffered a hamstring injury.
Here are 3 pacers who can replace Lockie Ferguson in KKR’s playing 11 if he misses any match:
1. Tim Southee
Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, and Andre Russell were likely to be KKR’s primary pacers. However, now that Lockie Ferguson is unfit, Tim Southee can replace him in the first few matches. Tim Southee can also lead KKR in Shreyas Iyer’s absence as he was instrumental in the 2-0 whitewash of Sri Lanka in the last Test series.
2. Vaibhav Arora
Vaibhav Aurora was released by the Punjab Kings (PBKS) after IPL 2022. While he was not heavily involved in terms of wickets, he showcased the ability to swing the ball both ways. Having spent a season with KKR in the 2021 edition, he could be brought into the playing 11 in Ferguson’s absence.
Also read: IPL 2023: Umran Malik or Lockie Ferguson, Who will bowl the fastest delivery this year
3. Harshit Rana
Harshit Rana made his IPL debut in IPL 2022. He has the ability to make full use of his height and the ability to bowl a heavy ball. Being known for his raw pace, he could be one of the best replacements for Lockie Ferguson.
The 16th edition of the Indian Premier League is all set to start on March 31, with the defending champions Gujarat Titans (GT) taking on MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad in the opener.