5 injury-hit Indian pacers whose fitness will be closely watched during IPL 2023

With the modern cricketing calendar being highly unforgiving, Team India and their players have dealt with a lot of injuries lately.

Although the Men in Blue have played the last three ODI series with a near full-strength side, we haven't been able to witness key players in action for prolonged periods of time across formats. The fast-bowling department, in particular, has felt the brunt of the same.

Here are five injury-hit Indian pacers whose fitness will be closely watched during the 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

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#5 Mohsin Khan

Mohsin Khan had a breakout IPL 2022 campaign for the Lucknow Super Giants, in which he showed a plethora of variations to go with pace and consequently all-phase prowess. Incredibly, though, the left-armer hasn't played a competitive game of cricket since Qualifier 2 of the tournament.

Mohsin has reportedly been sidelined by hamstring and shoulder issues since the IPL, having not featured in domestic cricket despite several fans clamoring for his inclusion in the national setup. The 24-year-old clearly has a lot to offer and will be closely watched if he recovers in time for IPL 2023.

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#4 Khaleel Ahmed

West Indies v IND - One Day International Series

Another left-armer who has had to deal with injuries throughout his career, Khaleel Ahmed has been on the sidelines for most of the last year. The 25-year-old has played only three Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches since the conclusion of IPL 2022.

Khaleel was excellent for the Delhi Capitals last year, rekindling hopes of a comeback to the national side. He hasn't been able to stay fit, however, and posted on social media ahead of the start of the Ranji Trophy that he will miss the domestic red-ball season as well.

Khaleel is an immensely talented bowler and will be in the spotlight when IPL 2023 takes centerstage.

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#3 Jasprit Bumrah

IND v Australia - T20 International Series: Game 2

Is Jasprit Bumrah's bowling action finally catching up to him? The fast bowler has been plagued by back issues of late and India don't seem to be managing his injury very well, given the lack of clarity regarding his fitness.

Bumrah hasn't been named in the squad for the first two Tests of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy and might be eased back into competitive cricket during IPL 2023, when he will play for the Mumbai Indians. The Men in Blue need their ace spearhead to be at his best, and if he features in the IPL, he will have all eyes on him.

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#2 Deepak Chahar

New Zealand v IND - 3rd ODI

Deepak Chahar missed the entirety of IPL 2022, leaving the Chennai Super Kings to fight for a lowly ninth in the points table. The fast bowler has since turned out for India in a few white-ball games and Rajasthan in a couple of Vijay Hazare Trophy matches, but he hasn't been able to keep himself fit for a sustained period.

Chahar is one of the few pace-bowling all-rounders at India's disposal and has proven his worth in limited-overs cricket on the international stage. When he plays for CSK in IPL 2023, his performances will be keenly tracked, in the hope that he can play an important role for the national side once again.

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#1 Prasidh Krishna

England v IND - 1st Royal London Series One Day International

Prasidh Krishna has played only nine recorded games of cricket since IPL 2022, with two of those being practice matches for Team India. Before he got injured, the pacer had become one of the national side's leading bowlers in ODIs and was all set to transition to the other two formats as well.

Prasidh will feature for the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2022, having missed the entire domestic season with injury. If he is able to contribute heavily, we might see him make a late case for a spot in India's 2023 World Cup squad. He could also be a contender for the final of the World Test Championship, assuming India secure a victory in the upcoming home Tests against Australia.