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Mukesh Choudhary ruled out of IPL 2023, CSK name India U19 World Cup star as replacement
CSK have already lost New Zealand all-rounder Kyle Jamieson to injury while Ben Stokes will be only a specialist batter in the early matches of IPL 2023.
Chennai Super Kings have been handed a blow in the form of fast bowler Mukesh Choudhary being ruled out of the 2023 IPL season. CSK start their campaign with the tournament opener against defending champions Gujarat Titans on Saturday. CSK named left-arm pacer Akash Singh as Mukesh's replacement.
Akash Singh, who was a part of India’s Under-19 World Cup team in 2020, previously played for Rajasthan Royals. The left-arm pacer has thus far played 9 T20s in addition to 9 List A matches and five First-Class games and has 31 wickets against his name. He will join CSK for INR 20 Lakh.
“Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Thursday named Akash Singh as a replacement for injured Mukesh Choudhary,” said IPL in a release.
Mukesh, who made his IPL debut last season and scalped 16 wickets, is recovering from a stress fracture and hence, is side-lined from the 16th edition of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL).
Choudhary is recovering from a back injury at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. CSK are yet to announce a replacement. The 26-year-old Maharashtra pacer was one of the bright spots for CSK in an other forgettable 2022 campaign, He was bought for ₹20 lakh in the auction before last season.
Choudhary's omission is the latest in a few injury blows that CSK have sustained before the start of the season. The four-time IPL champions had earlier lost all-rounder Kyle Jamieson to injury. South Africa all-rounder Sisanda Magala was roped in to replace him.
Batting coach Mike Hussey has meanwhile said that star all-rounder and England Test captain Ben Stokes will be playing as a specialist batter at the start of the season. "My understanding is he's ready to go as a batsman from the start. The bowling might be wait and see. I know he had his first very light bowl yesterday (Sunday) since he had his injections in his knee," said Hussey on Tuesday.
Stokes has been suffering from a knee injury which had earlier put doubts over whether he will be able to take part in the league this season at all. Hussey said that the franchise is working closely with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
"The physios from Chennai and ECB are working pretty closely together. My understanding is he won't be bowling much at all in the first few games of the tournament... it might be a few weeks. I'm not 100% sure, (but we will) hopefully get him bowling at some stage in the tournament," Hussey added.
