Jonny Bairstow to miss IPL 2023 for Punjab Kings, Australia’s Matthew Short named replacement

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Jonny Bairstow has started to bat in the nets at his County side Yorkshire.

Punjab Kings (PBKS) have suffered a big blow ahead of the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 tournament with their star opening batsman and wicket-keeper Jonny Bairstow being ruled out of the entire competition owing to the freak in jury that he suffered in September 2022.

With Jonny Bairstow said to miss the IPL this year, Punjab Kings have announced that the uncapped Australian player Matthew Short, who won the player of the tournament award in the recent Big Bash League (BBL) having scored more than 400 runs and taken 11 wickets, will be the replacement for the English player.

According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, Punjab Kings were waiting for confirmation on Jonny Bairstow via the Indian cricket Board, BCCI, who were in touch with their English counterparts. The process started after it was revealed that Bairstow had started to train in February 2023, but he was eventually ruled out. 

The BCCI is said to have informed Punjab Kings on Saturday about the development, and the franchisee confirmed the news immediately.

The right-handed aggressive wicket-keeper batsmen Jonny Bairstow has apparently started batting in the Yorkshire nets and is expected to play a couple of matches in the County championship in May this year, and he will also be resuming his wicket-keeping training soon with the aim of regaining full fitness by the start of June.

England are set to play against Ireland in a Test match in the month of June and it is reported that ECB are happy with the progress of Jonny Bairstow, and are confident that the wicket-keeper batsman will return in the national side to take part in the Ashes 2023 series starting on June 22. 

Bairstow had suffered a freak injury while playing golf with his friends just a couple of days before the start of the third and final Test against South Africa during the English home season last year. 

As he was at the golf field, Jonny Bairstow slipped and suffered multiple fractures and had to undergo surgery, which involved inserting a plate including treatment for ligament damage that he had sustained.

Jonny Bairstow will be replaced by Australia’s uncapped player Matthew short, who had an incredible BBL tournament for the Adelaide strikers. Opening the batting for Adelaide Strikers, Matthew Short was able to make as many as 458 runs, the second highest in the tournament, at an average of 35.23 and with an impressive strike rate of 144.47. 

Even though he has not come close to national selection, Matthew Short is an experienced player in the domestic circuit in Australia. 

The 27-year-old top order batter and right of break bowler Matthew Short has played 49 first-class matches scoring 2445 runs at 35.95 with three centuries and 14 half centuries. In 55 List A and 67 T20 matches, Matthew Short’s average is 30.21 and 23.88 respectively and has scored a century each in both these formats.

The 2023 season of IPL will start on March 31 with defending champions Gujarat Titans facing off against four-time title winners Chennai Super Kings, who will once again be captained by the legendary Mahendra Singh Dhoni as they look to put their campaign back on track after a disappointing run in the last season. 

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