In the first post-auction, pre-tournament pull-out of the year, Jason Roy withdrew himself from IPL 2022, citing the need to spend some time away from the game amid a busy playing schedule.
The withdrawal means that Gujarat Titans, one of the two new IPL franchises, have big boots to fill in the opening slot. According to IPL rules, the franchise can opt for a replacement, as long as the player was unsold in the IPL 2022 auction, and was listed at a base price less than that of Roy’s INR 2 crore.
They could even look at ways to internally fill the vacancy: to partner Shubman Gill, they could look at Matthew Wade, Wriddhiman Saha and Abhinav Sadaranganias options in the existing roster.
Here are six players who could be picked as a replacement:
Colin Munro
327 T20s, 8,230 runs @ 30.82, 5 100s, HS: 114*, SR: 141.02
Pros: Enterprising and impactful, Munro carries extensive T20 experience with him, including two IPL teams – Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders. With five T20 centuries and 8,000-plus runs to his name, Munro’s a seasoned pro who can convincingly deliver the goods in the powerplay.
Cons: While his international limbo works to his benefit in terms of availability, it also makes him susceptible to rustiness and inconsistency. In the PSL, he looked in good nick with an aggregate of 165 runs in three innings but missed the playoffs stages due to an injury in training. At 34, he could be overlooked for a younger option.
Aaron Finch
347 T20s, 10,444 runs @ 33.90, 8 100s, HS: 172, SR: 139.86
Pros: Another T20 heavyweight who has stacked up massive numbers in the format, Finch probably has the most extensive IPL resume among the unsold lot. He’s represented as many as eight teams, and is well acquainted with the ins and outs of the league. Among the top five run-getters in the format, and the skipper of the Australia T20I team, Finch ticks plenty of boxes.
Cons: Given the relative might of his international credentials, success has eluded him in the IPL, more so in the last few years. Finch last played in 2020 [average 22.30, strike-rate 111.20], and has three fifties since the 2017 season. The fact that he hasn’t tended to stick around with one franchise for long could also work against him.
Ben McDermott
96 T20s, 2,386 runs @ 31.81, 3 100s, HS: 127, SR: 132.11
Pros: Probably in the form of his life, McDermott raised his stakes significantly ahead of the auction with a bumper season in the Big Bash, where he finished as the leading run-getter. The numbers – 577 runs at a strike-rate of 153.86 – were enough to help him stage a comeback to the T20I setup. Among new, exciting talent, the 27-year-old is right up there.
Cons: BBL numbers don’t necessarily lead to fat paycheques in the IPL; at least, it comes with a sense of circumspection. D’Arcy Short, the top run-getter in the 2018 BBL, earned a handsome IPL deal that year, but was largely unconvincing, averaging 16.43, and not playing thereafter. With little experience of playing in slow, low conditions, there could be a bit of unease attached to McDermott, too.
Martin Guptill
293 T20s, 8,337 runs @ 32.06, 4 100s, HS: 120*, SR: 131.04
Pros: Another T20 powerhouse who can turn a game on its head, Guptill, on paper, is a great prospect to have. The second-highest run-getter in men’s T20Is, Guptill also has extensive experience of playing on Indian soil and usually attacks spin bowling well, apart from setting the powerplay on fire.
Cons: Guptill has a surprisingly average IPL record so far: his 13 games have been spread across three franchises, where he’s hit one fifty and averages 22.50 overall. Inconsistency at international level has been his bane, but teams haven’t given him enough chances to really shape his IPL career. While age has hardly dimmed his fitness and form, Gujarat could also be enticed by younger options, given that Guptill turns 36 this year.
Rahmanullah Gurbaz
67 T20s, 1,617 runs @ 24.87, 0 100s, HS: 99, SR: 152.54
Pros: One of the most exciting young white-ball batters going around, Gurbaz is fast becoming Afghanistan’s next big thing. Packed with loads of confidence, and gifted with the ability to smack the ball to all corners of the ground, the 20-year-0ld can be a vital asset for any side, doubling up as a wicketkeeper. Only Paul Stirling and Quinton de Kock have scored more men’s ODI hundreds before turning 21 than Gurbaz.
Cons: The fact that he isn’t really established yet, and could prove to be a wildcard for a role as crucial as opening. Gurbaz also doesn’t come with prior IPL experience, and it could be difficult justifying an overseas spot for him if things aren’t going well.
Paul Stirling
276 T20s, 6,952 runs @ 26.63, 2 100s, HS: 115*, SR: 141.67
Pros: One of the most trusted openers going around, Stirling has scored truckloads of T20 runs to be a serious contender. Since the start of 2019, no batter has scored more T20I runs than him. The vast experience of plying his trade on Asian pitches also works in his favour, as does his red-hot current form.
Cons: Nothing in particular but Stirling, despite his stellar T20 resume, has no IPL experience. It would be a landmark occasion if he were to become the first Irish player to get on the field at the IPL.
