Punjab Kings (PBKS) have been dealt with a major blow as Jonny Bairstow has been ruled out of IPL 2023 due to injury. Bairstow was bought by PBKS for a whopping Rs. 6.25 crore at the 2022 IPL auction. However, he will not be able to play this season due to a leg injury that he sustained in September 2022.
According to a report by the British newspaper The Guardian, Bairstow has made significant progress in his recovery, including outdoor training and batting practice in the nets. However, he will not be able to make it in time for the start of the IPL on March 31, leaving PBKS without an important overseas player for most of the tournament. Instead, Bairstow will make his comeback in county cricket for Yorkshire.
Bairstow's injury occurred while he was playing golf before the third Test match against South Africa in 2022, which resulted in multiple fractures, a dislocated ankle, and ligament damage. He had to undergo surgery, and a metal plate was inserted as part of his recovery process. Bairstow's injury also forced him to miss the 2022 T20 World Cup, where England won under Jos Buttler's captaincy, as well as the tours to Pakistan and New Zealand. In the 2022 IPL, Bairstow had a disappointing run, scoring just 253 runs in 11 matches at an average of 23.00 with two half-centuries.Shikhar Dhawan will lead PBKS this season, replacing Mayank Agarwal as captain.
