Punjab wicket-keeper batter Bairstow may miss IND T20 League 2023

Indian T20 League-based-franchise Punjab team has received a significant setback ahead of the 2023 season of the IND T20 league. Meanwhile, English batter Jonny Bairstow is likely to miss the 16th edition of this league which is starting on 31st March, he is yet to fully recover from his leg injury which he sustained in September 2022.

Instead, Right-handed batter Bairstow will make his comeback in county cricket for Yorkshire. Many reports suggest that he wants to focus on the 2023 World Cup and the Ashes which will start shortly after IND T20 League.

Bairstow, 33, suffered an injury while playing golf with friends last year, in which his left leg was fractured and his ankle was also twisted. After this injury, he had to undergo surgery in London. 

Now according to a report in the Guardian, Jonny Bairstow, who has a metal plate inserted in his leg after surgery, will take more time to return to the pitch, so that he can concentrate fully on his recovery. However, so far no statement has been issued by the ENG Cricket Board and Punjab team regarding Bairstow.

Right-handed batter Bairstow has played 39 matches in his IND T20 League career so far, scoring 1291 runs at an average of 35.86 and a strike rate of 142.65, including one century and nine half-centuries. Last season, Bairstow was looking in good rhythm as he scored 253 runs at a strike rate of 144.57 with two 50-plus scores. But this Punjab is going to miss his explosive and destructive knocks in this league.

For the 16th edition of the IND T20 League, 37-year-old Shikhar Dhawan will be the new skipper of the Punjab side, replacing Mayank Agarwal. This season, the team will start their campaign with a match against Kolkata Knight Riders on 1 April.

Apart from this, the team will also have left-handed all-rounder Sam Curran who was bought by Punjab for a record-breaking Rs 18.50 crore during the auction in December 2022. Apart from him, Punjab also has 2 excellent fast bowlers in the form of Kagiso Rabada and Nathan Ellis and the team also has currently one of the best clean hitters of the ball Liam Livingstone in their squad.

Punjab's Squad:

Batters: Shikhar Dhawan (captain), Atharva Taide, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Harpreet Bhatia, Jitesh Sharma (wicket-keeper), Jonny Bairstow (wicket-keeper), Prabhsimran Singh (wicket-keeper), Shahrukh Khan

All-rounders: Mohit Rathee, Raj Angad Bawa, Sam Curran, Sikandar Raza, Rishi Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Shivam Singh

Bowlers: Arshdeep Singh, Baltej Singh, Nathan Ellis, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Harpreet Brar, Vidwath Kaverappa