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Punjab Kings (PBKS) were dealt a severe blow as one of their most valuable overseas players, Jonny Bairstow, opted out of IPL 2023 to focus on a complete recovery for the Ashes.
The IPL, which begins on March 31, will culminate on May 28. The Ashes, to be played in England, starts on June 16.
Bairstow was in red-hot form in test cricket, scoring four centuries in five tests against New Zealand and India at home before suffering a leg injury while playing golf in September 2022.
The wicketkeeper-batsman underwent successful surgery and rehabilitation on his left leg, which kept him out of action for the ICC World T20 last year and the tests against Pakistan and New Zealand.
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Bairstow was instrumental in the Stokes-McCullum partnership taking off, averaging 66 in test cricket in 2022. He also averaged 49 in T20s for England in 2022 before the leg injury.
Jonny Bairstow's absence amplifies the opening woes for PBKS
The Punjab Kings parted ways with Mayank Agarwal after the right-hander endured a disappointing season in 2022, both as a batsman and captain. PBKS missed the playoffs for the 13th time in 15 seasons last year.
The franchise appointed Shikhar Dhawan as the captain for the upcoming season and has gone about bolstering the all-rounder spot and the middle order with the acquisition of Sam Curran and Sikandar Raza at the auction.
This was done assuming a settled opening combination with the experienced duo of Shikhar Dhawan and Jonny Bairstow.
Agarwal, who is primarily an opener in all forms of the game, could have served as the opener for PBKS in the news of Bairstow's absence. But his departure now means the team is without an international batter for the critical opening slot and might have to do with a makeshift opener or find a like-for-like replacement for the explosive right-hander.
Only a year ago, the team also parted ways with their most successful opener and batter, KL Rahul, who is now the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants. While Bairstow had a sub-par season for Punjab in the last IPL, averaging just 23 in the 11 matches he played, it was after the 2022 IPL that he took off for England.
PBKS were hopeful of a big season from the England right-hander given his impressive IPL numbers, averaging 36 at a strike rate of over 142, in their bid to have a turnaround season. His absence gives the think tank a headache in coming up with the ideal playing eleven.
Punjab Kings play their season opener against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the PCA Stadium in Mohali on April 1.
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