England fast bowler Chris Jordan has been signed up by Royal Challengers Bangalore for the 2016 season, as replacement for Mitchell Starc, who has been ruled out for the whole of the tournament with a foot injury. Jordan is expected to leave his county side Sussex immediately to join the RCB squad.
Jordan was a crucial member of the World T20 finalist side, and his addition will be a much-needed boost for the Bengaluru franchise. Having to do without the services of key bowlers Starc and Samuel Badree, RCB have struggled in the bowling department in the current season.
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The England and Sussex fast bowler had not been picked by any team in the February auctions, but he was one of the top performers in the WT20, being one of the players who made franchises rue their bidding choices.
Jordan’s strength, as seen in the World T20, was his skill in the death overs. Not only that, he can be an able slogger in the death overs with the bat as well.
He also stands a chance of making it to England's Test side for the upcoming Sri Lanka series, but his IPL involvement might put a spanner in his Test ambitions.
Players required for Test duty by England will be required to return to the country by May 6, by which time the IPL season will only have reached its halfway stage.
It is highly likely that Jordan will be picked in the playing XI whenever he is available, most probably in place of South African mystery spinner Tabraiz Shamsi. Shamsi has been impressive in the two matches that he has been played, returning figures of 1/36 and 1/21, but is most likely to make way for Jordan.
Chris Gayle, AB de Villiers, Shane Watson are the three foreigners whose place in the playing XI is almost guaranteed, and Jordan looks set to get in as the fourth foreigner.
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