IPL 2023: KKR sign ex-Sunrisers Hyderabad player as replacement for Shreyas Iyer

IPL 2023: Ahead of their match on Thursday, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have signed England opener Jason Roy as a replacement for the team's regular captain Shreyas Iyer and the pullout of Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan. KKR will be taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on April 6 in their second Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match.

However, Roy will not take part in the home match against RCB. But he will be available for selection for the team's next match against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad on April 9. The two-time IPL champions were dealt a huge injury blow when Iyer was ruled out for the entire season due to a back injury. While Shakib pulled out citing personal and national commitments.

We can't be more excited to share this news with you, fam

@JasonRoy2ATAIPL2023 pic.twitter.com/Ta0yrBsyyk

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) April 5, 2023

"Kolkata Knight Riders have signed England's Jason Roy for Rs 2.8 crore for the TATA IPL 2023 from his base price of Rs 1.5 crore," KKR said in a statement.

Who is Jason Roy? The 32-year-old batter was first featured in the 2017 edition of the IPL for Gujarat Lions. He last played for Sunrisers Hyderabad in the 2021 IPL season. In 2021, he scored 150 runs, including a half-century, in five games. 

The England opener has played 64 T20Is for England, scoring 1,522 runs at a strike-rate of 137.61 with eight fifties. Roy is likely to replace Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz, who opened in their match against Punjab Kings and scored 22 from 16 balls. The purple brigade already have N Jagadeesan to don the gloves.

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