The English Wicketkeeper, Jonny Bairstow said that he wants to focus on the upcoming Ashes Series and the 50-over World Cup
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Jonny Bairstow’s Absence Disrupts PK Batting Lineup
Punjab Kings have been dealt a major blow as the team’s star overseas batter decided that he will not take part in the upcoming IPL (Indian Premier Leauge) season as he wants to focus on the forthcoming Ashes series versus Australia and on the 50-over world cup which will take place in India in October- November this year.
The decision of Bairstow might disturb the combination of Punjab Kings’ batting lineup as the team released former captain Mayank Agrawal before the IPL auction it was hampering the team balance as the team from Punjab had three quality openers in their squad and it was challenging to play all three together this was the reason why the franchise decided to let go Mayank Agrawal before the auction.Â
Who will Replace Bairstow in Punjab Kings?
Another issue for Punjab Kings in the absence of Bairstow would be finding an ideal replacement for the Englishman and one name that comes to mind is that of Sri Lankan batter Bhanuka Rajapaksa.
The hard-hitting batter was decent for Punjab Kings in IPL 2022 where he batted in the middle order that too with a good strike rate which is considered to be a difficult position to bat in because generally when you bat in the middle order you have to bat at a time when the field is spread and you need to have the skills to find gaps between fielders which he did well in the last season.
If Rajapaksa plays as an opener, then who would take his place in the middle order is another big question that the team management needs to find the answer to.
Sikandar Raza: Ideal Replacement for Bairstow?
A batter who can be considered as a perfect replacement for Jonny is the Zimbabwe batting allrounder Sikandar Raza who has been in prolific form since 2022 and has been instrumental in carrying his team over the line on several occasions which started with his match-winning knocks against Bangladesh when his team was struggling as they lost four wickets early chasing a score of 250 plus. Another inspiring performance against India followed this in the third and final ODI where he almost took his side home.
Another dimension that he brings into a team is his bowling. He is more than a capable bowler and can be used as a sixth bowling option which could prove decisive in high-scoring matches at Bangalore and Mumbai where the pitch is generally flat and batters enjoy batting on those hard and bouncy wickets. He can also come in handy on wickets like that of Chennai which tends to be dry and assists the spinners with some turn and grip present in the surface spinners can extract something from the wicket if they bowl in the right channel and at the right length.
Another facet of the game that Raza brings in is his experience which could prove to be very handy for Shikhar Dhawan who will be captaining Punjab Kings this season. Raza has ample amount of experience as he plays various T20 leagues around the world and has recently won PSL with Lahore Qalandars that confidence can prove to be the game changer for Punjab Kings a team which is going through a transition and a player like Raza can act as a glue of the team who can contribute in all three departments of the game.  Â
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