IPL 2022: In a big blow to one of IPL’s newest entrants Gujarat Titans, England opener Jason Roy has pulled out of the tournament citing extended bio-bubble stay. The England opener, who had represented Sunrisers Hyderabad last season was brought by Gujarat Titans for his base price of INR 2 crore at the IPL 2022 Mega auction. According to reports, he had informed the Ahmedabad-based franchise last week. Gujarat Titans are yet to name a replacement for the English cricketer.
This is the second time the English player is pulling out of the IPL, earlier he pulled out of the 2020 edition due to personal reasons after he was picked up by Delhi Capitals for INR 1.5 crore.
Notably, Roy Roy, was recently blessed with his second child, and had he opted to play he would have stayed away from his family for more than two months. The 15th edition of the IPL is scheduled to begin late March 26 and will till almost the end of May.
The 31-year-old cricketer last season had represented Sunrisers Hydereabad and dished out a few decent performances. He carried his form to the Pakistan super League this yera, where he represented the Quetta Gladiators. He played just six matches for the franchise, however, he ended up as their highest run-corer and one of the top scorers in the tournament. In just six matches, the English cricketer scored 303 runs at an average of 50.50 and a strike-rate of 170.22.
His form excited the Gujarat Titans form who were counting days to see him open with Shubman Gill at the IPL 2022. After drafting Hardik Pandya, Gill and Rashid Khan, at the auction, the Gujarat franchise built a strong core team that comprises the likes of seasoned Indian speedster Mohammed Shami, and talents like Rahul Tewatia, Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Wriddhiman Saha.
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IPL 2022: 5 players who Gujarat Titans are likely to pick as Jason Roy shocks them with pull out of IPL Season 15
IPL 2022: Replacement for Jason Roy – England opening batter Jason Roy has given a massive shock to Gujarat Titans as he has opted out of the 15th edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) citing extended stay in the tournament bubble. With IPL due to start on March 26, the Titans are left with only three weeks to find a replacement for Roy.
The Titans have a plethora of options to choose from. Some of the players, who went unsold in the two-day mega auction can be filled in as Roy’s replacement. The Titans can pick Martin Guptill, Dawid Malan, or Steve Smith as their replacement players.
Here at InsideSport, we look at five players who Gujarat Titans can target
1: Ben McDermott
Australia opener Ben McDermott is in scintillating form. He scored a jaw-dropping 577 runs in the 11 edition of the BBL and was named the player of the tournament. The Hurricanes opener also became the first player in BBL to score two back-to-back hundreds. He also played a hand in Australia winning 4-1 in the T20I series against Sri Lanka.
The 27-year-old is an attacking player and can clear the ropes handsomely. He is also a power play enforcer. Titans can look to target him.
2: Martin Guptill
Martin Guptill is one of the destructive openers going around in the world. He can easily play the anchor role as well as can go bang from ball one. Guptill has only played 13 IPL games and his full potential has not been utilized. New Zealand players are also available for the entire duration of IPL. Hence Titans need to worry about the availability of the kiwi opener.
3: Dawid Malan
England batter Dawid Malan can prove to be a solid option for Titans at the top. He bats at number three for his country in T20Is, but the southpaw has also opened the innings. Malan made his IPL debut for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in 2021. He got limited opportunities though as he played just one game. Malan’s T20I numbers are enviable as he has scored 1239 runs in 35 matches at a strike rate of 137.21.
4: Janneman Malan
South Africa opener Janneman Malan has a bright start to his international career. He has scored 759 runs in just 14 ODIs and has scored 241 runs in 11 T20Is. Malan is a pleasing player to watch and can mix power games with the touch game. His strike is 130, but once set it is very hard for the bowlers to dismiss him.
5: Steve Smith
There is no doubt about Steven Smith’s class in all three formats of the game. He’s a match-winner and a bankable player. It came as a shock that teams did not bid for him during the mega auction. His IPL record is also decent as he scored 2485 runs in 103 matches. The right-hand batter is also a brilliant leader and can help Hardik Pandya with a few tricks.
