In an update shared by Parth Jindal, co-owner of the Delhi Capitals, it was disclosed that their prized acquisition, Australian fast bowler Jhye Richardson, might not be available for the initial matches of the upcoming Indian Premier League season due to a side strain.
Richardson has been sidelined with this injury since the latter stages of the Big Bash League and was also absent during the recent home series against West Indies. Securing Richardson’s services for INR 5 crore during the December mini-auction was a significant move for the Capitals, especially considering his absence will be felt in their pace department after his stint with the Punjab Kings in 2021.
Jindal said: “Richardson is in touch and go, but will definitely be available for some part of IPL. Nortje is fit. Right now, he is bowing at 80% intensity. Next week, he will bowl at 100%. He’s going to make his comeback in the IPL. He is going to join our camp and should be good to go for our first game.”
However, there’s a silver lining for the Capitals with the return of South African quick Anrich Nortje, who has been out of action since September 2023 due to a groin injury. Nortje missed the World Cup but is now gearing up for a comeback in IPL 2024, which is a positive development for Delhi’s bowling lineup. The co-owner confirmed that Nortje will rejoin the squad in Vizag after recovering from his injuries. Despite enduring a groin injury and featuring in only ten matches during the 2023 season before leaving due to personal reasons, Nortje’s availability is a significant boost for the team.
Nortje’s journey back to fitness has been challenging, including setbacks during the inaugural Major League Cricket season in the USA and his withdrawal from the home ODI series against Australia due to a suspected back stress fracture. This unfortunate sequence of events also led to his absence from the ODI World Cup and raised doubts about his availability for IPL 2024 after missing out on the SA20 matches. However, with his recovery progressing positively, the right-arm pacer’s return is a timely reinforcement for the Delhi Capitals’ bowling unit, which has been grappling with injuries to key players like Rishabh Pant.
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