The 13th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was delayed to the September-November window due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. Players like Jofra Archer, Andrew Tye, Shivam Mavi, who were nursing their respective injuries, in all likelihood would have missed the IPL this year, had it been played in its usual April-May window.
The coronavirus-induced delay helped all the players to get a break from the game, and gave time to those who were recovering from their injuries. However, even though most of the players were coming from a long break and were fresh and raring to go, the injuries haven’t left the players and the cricket field. Before even the tournament began, players started getting injured in nets, in training, and a few of them were carrying an injury they suffered in previous tournaments and were still on their path of recovery.
Here we look at some of the players who have suffered injuries during or before this IPL and their current status:
1. Ishant Sharma
Delhi Capitals’ pace spearhead Ishant Sharma picked up a back injury in the training even before his side’s first game against Kings XI Punjab on 20 September, as confirmed by a Delhi Capitals support staff member. He said that it wasn’t a major injury and they will keep assessing him.
As the tournament progressed, Sharma returned to practice and even trained to prove his match fitness, before finally playing his first game for the Capitals against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, on 29 September. He returned with the figures of 0-26 in his three overs. As noticed by the commentators and experts, Sharma looked rusty in that game.
He was replaced in the next game by Haryana all-rounder Harshal Patel in the next game and later on 12 October, Ishant was ruled out of the tournament after sustaining a left internal oblique muscle tear.
2. Ravichandran Ashwin
Delhi Capitals’ (DC) off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin injured himself by dislocating his left shoulder in an attempt to save a run. After getting two wickets in his first over in the first game playing for the Capitals against his previous franchise Kings XI Punjab, Ashwin dived towards his right to save a Glenn Maxwell single and ended up landing on his left shoulder.
After the game, DC skipper Shreyas Iyer said that Ashwin told him that he is fine and will be able to play their next game but all depended on his recovery the physiotherapist's decision. Ashwin missed the next two games but informed on Twitter that scan reports were encouraging and came back in the fourth match against the Kolkata Knight Riders on 3 October.
After winning the Player of the match on Friday against the Rajasthan Royals, Ashwin said at the post-match presentation that it will still take a week for him to fully recover and doesn’t want to risk his vulnerable arm unnecessarily by diving or picking the ball from that hand.
However, Ashwin has performed well after his return, with the figures of 1/26 and 2/22 in the last two games he has played.
3. Chris Morris
Royal Challengers Bangalore’s (RCB) biggest buy in the last year’s auction, South African all-rounder Chris Morris didn’t feature in his side’s first game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad. After the game, RCB’s Director of Cricket Operations, Mike Hesson, said that Morris suffered a side strain in the training and side that they will continue to monitor him.
He added that he could be available in two or three games from then and is very important for their side’s balance and for the past week or so Morris has been sweating hard in the nets, to prove his fitness and come back to playing soon.
According to skipper Virat Kohli, he was close to playing their game against the Delhi Capitals on Monday, 5 October, when he was asked about the balance of his side and was hopeful that he will be available for selection for Saturday’s game against the Chennai Super Kings.
4. Mitchell Marsh
Sunrisers Hyderabad all-rounder Mitchell Marsh twisted his ankle in the first over he came on to bowl. In an attempt to save a run, he dived towards his right and injured himself in that process. He bowled two more deliveries after that but couldn’t continue any further.
After the game, the SRH management said that the injury was serious, and a day later, he was ruled out of the entire tournament, which disrupted the SRH team balance. SRH announced that West Indian all-rounder Jason Holder will be replacing him in the squad.
Later, it was revealed through the scans that Marsh has suffered a high grade to moderate syndesmosis injury to his right ankle and a decision on whether a surgery is required will be taken afterwards.
5. Amit Mishra
Delhi Capitals leg-spinner Amit Mishra suffered a tendon injury to his finger while attempting a catch on his follow-through. Mishra dived towards the right after Kolkata Knight Riders’ Nitish Rana played straight to him in the air. Mishra missed the catch and hit his fingers. He bowled one more over after that and couldn't continue any further.
Later, the scans revealed that the injury would take time to heal and he was ruled out of the tournament. Speaking to IANS, Mishra said that he didn’t think that injury would be that serious but was happy that he suffered the injury while giving his 100 percent on the field.
On 19 October, Delhi Capitals announced the Karnataka leg-spinner, Pravin Dubey, as Mishra’s replacement.
6. Bhuvneshwar Kumar
Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar suffered an injury while bowling the 19th over of the innings against the Chennai Super Kings on 2 October. Coming in to bowl the second ball of the over, Kumar stuttered on the delivery stride and immediately called the physiotherapist.
After it was treated, Kumar tried to bowl again but had to leave the field and couldn’t take any further part in the game. Two days later, SRH said in a release that Kumar had suffered a hip injury and was ruled out of the tournament and Hyderabad pacer Prithvi Raj Yarra was named his replacement.
7. Dwayne Bravo
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) all-rounder Dwayne Bravo was carrying a groin injury from the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and couldn’t play the first few matches for his side. After arriving in Dubai for the IPL, Bravo was on the way to recovery and wasn’t match fit just yet. After their first game against Mumbai Indians, CSK coach Stephen Fleming said that Bravo will miss a couple of games more.
After missing the first three games, Bravo came back for CSK in their fourth against the Sunrisers Hyderabad on 2 October and has looked in good touch with the ball since then.
8. Ambati Rayudu
Chennai Super Kings batsman Ambati Rayudu after scoring match-winning 71 runs against the Mumbai Indians in the opening match of the IPL, got a hamstring niggle. CSK coach Stephen Fleming said during the post-match press conference in their second game that Rayudu got injured just before the game, that’s why they had to make changes.
According to CSK management, Rayudu suffered the niggle during the Mumbai game, and he had to sit out of the next two games for his side before returning for the game against the Sunrisers on October.
9. Ali Khan
Kolkata Knight Riders’ pace bowler Ali Khan has been sidelined due to a side strain but the franchise has opted to retain him instead of ruling him out. Ali Khan, who was named as the replacement for injured Harry Gurney in the KKR squad, became the first player from the USA to feature in an IPL team squad.
KKR Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Venky Mysore in an interview with ESPNcricinfo told that while Khan's injury was untimely, the franchise remained optimistic about his recovery and has asked him to stay on to help him with his recovery and rehab.
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