Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians have announced the replacements for two of their marquee players -- Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah. While Pant has been replaced by Abhishek Porel in Delhi, Sandeep Warrier has come in place of Bumrah in the Mumbai Indians squad for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season. While the fate of the two players was known for a while, both MI and DC took their time in evaluating capable replacements for the player and announced the names of the newcomers on the day the IPL 2023 season is to kick off.
Pant is out of the entire season because of the injuries he had sustained during his car crash on December 30 last year. Bumrah, meanwhile, have been on the sidelines for a long time. He didn't feature in the Asia Cup as well as the T20 World Cup last year.
In a statement, the IPL said: "Porel, who is a wicketkeeper-batter, has played 16 First-Class matches in addition to 3 List A and as many T20s for Bengal. Sandeep Warrier, who has played for India, has thus far played 68 T20s and scalped 62 wickets. He was previously a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore, having played 5 IPL games.
"While Porel joins DC for INR 20 Lakh, MI have brought Sandeep Warrier on board for INR 50 Lakh."
Mumbai Indians will kick off their campaign with an away game against RCB at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on April 2.
The 29-year-old Bumrah had to undergo a surgery on his back in New Zealand earlier this year which has ruled him out of the entire IPL as well as World Test Championship (WTC) against Australia in June.
However, the right-arm pacer is aiming to come back in the 50-over World Cup which India will host later this year in October-November.
Bumrah, who was spotted at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai last Sunday watching the final of the Women's Premier League with his MI teammates, was also seen chatting with England pace sensation Jofra Archer.
With PTI inputs