The Indian Premier League 2023 is all set to commence from Friday, March 31, when defending champions Gujarat Titans take on four-time champions Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad.
The teams are working out the permutations and combinations and that includes finding a way around player injuries.
Stars like Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer will miss the season due to injury, In addition to these stars, many franchises will miss key players for IPL 2023.
Jasprit Bumrah
For years, Bumrah has played a vital part in Mumbai Indians's success. This season, Bumrah will miss the IPL for the first time since his debut in 2013.
Recurring back injuries have forced Bumrah to opt out of several international tournaments. Last year, he was ruled out of the T20 World Cup.
According to reports, Bumrah might be out of action for most of this year. In Bumrah's absence, MI will hope English star pacer Jofra Archer can fill the void.
Rishabh Pant
Delhi Capitals Head Coach Ricky Ponting has said it would be tough for the team without their skipper and star batter who will miss this season due to the serious injuries he sustained during a road accident in December.
Ponting made it clear that Pant is irreplaceable.
The coach wants Pant to sit next to him in the dugout at every Delhi Capitals match during IPL 2023.
In Pant's absence, Delhi Capitals have given the captaincy reins to Australian opener David Warner.
Shreyas Iyer
Iyer is likely to undergo back surgery and may miss the entire season.
A statement from Kolkata Knight Riders was an indicator that Iyer's chances of an early return to play looks improbable at the moment.
KKR have announced Nitish Rana as the skipper for this season.
Jonny Bairstow
Punjab Kings is gearing for IPL 2023 without their destructive batter who has been ruled out because of his leg injury.
Punjab Kings have named Matthew Short as Bairstow's replacement.
Prasidh Krishna
The pacer was integral to Rajasthan Royals reaching the IPL 2022 final.
He bowled exceptionally well last season, picking 19 wickets from 17 games and would have been integral to RR's plan to build on the success.
Krishna will miss the entire season following surgery for a lumbar stress fracture.
Sandeep Sharma will represent Rajasthan Royals this season after being signed as a replacement for Krishna.
Kyle Jamison
The Kiwi fast bowler won't play this season due to a back injury. He is about to get surgery, which will sideline him for four months.
In nine appearances for the Royal Challengers Bangalore last season, he picked nine wickets at an economy rate of 9.60.
Chennai Super Kings have named a replacement for Jamison in Sisanda Magala.
Mukesh Choudhary, who impressed everyone with his ability to move the new ball and who bowled aggressively last season for CSK, is another name missing out because of injury, leaving the Super Kings slightly short in the fast bowling department.
Rajat Patidar
Royal Challengers Bangalore's top-order batter has been in fabulous form in domestic cricket for the last couple of seasons.
Patidar, who played a crucial role in the tournament's final stages for RCB last season, is currently undergoing rehab at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. He could miss the first half of the IPL owing to a heel injury.
In addition to Patidar, RCB will also miss Australian speedster Josh Hazelwood who continues to recover from Achilles tendonitis, adding to the Faf du Plessis-led team's woes.
Jhye Richardson
Another pacer who will miss IPL 2023 for the Mumbai Indians.
The 26 year old underwent surgery for hamstring issues earlier this year.
Richardson was set to join the Mumbai Indians in what would have been his second stint in the IPL after a previous season with the Punjab Kings.
