Replacement https://www.cricketwinner.com Replacement Tue, 01 Jul 2025 08:02:24 GMT https://validator.w3.org/feed/docs/rss2.html https://github.com/jpmonette/feed en Copyright © 2024 Cricket Winner. All Rights Reserved. <![CDATA[IPL 2025: Jonny Bairstow expresses his happiness over joining Mumbai Indians]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/ipl-2025-jonny-bairstow-expresses-his-happiness-over-joining-mumbai-indians/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/ipl-2025-jonny-bairstow-expresses-his-happiness-over-joining-mumbai-indians/ Tue, 20 May 2025 15:08:06 GMT

The Mumbai Indians have just dropped exciting news for their fans! Jonny Bairstow, a prominent cricketer who has been leading Yorkshire this year, announced on social media that he’ll be joining the Mumbai Indians for the remainder of the IPL season as a replacement for Will Jacks. The announcement, made on May 20, 2025, has sparked a wave of enthusiasm among fans, who are eager to see how this talented player will contribute to the team’s campaign. Bairstow shared his gratitude to Yorkshire for their support and expressed his excitement about returning to the IPL with Mumbai Indians.

In his heartfelt post, Bairstow reflected on the tough decision to leave Yorkshire mid-season, noting how much he’s enjoyed leading the club. However, the opportunity to play for Mumbai Indians, one of the IPL’s most successful franchises, was too good to pass up. The Mumbai Indians, known for their dynamic gameplay and passionate fanbase, have consistently been a dominant force in the IPL, and Bairstow’s addition is expected to bring fresh energy to the squad. His experience and leadership skills could prove vital as the team pushes through the latter stages of the tournament.

The announcement has already created a buzz on social media, with hashtags like #MumbaiIndians and #IPL trending among cricket enthusiasts. Bairstow’s post concluded with an enthusiastic message to Mumbai fans, saying he can’t wait to “get started and experience the energy of Mumbai.” His optimism is infectious, and fans are already counting down to his first match in the Mumbai Indians jersey.

Also Read: IPL 2025: BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla steps into calm Abhishek Sharma-Digvesh Rathi clash

What’s Next for Jonny Bairstow and Mumbai Indians?

As the IPL season progresses, all eyes will be on Bairstow to see how he adapts to the fast-paced environment of the tournament. His track record suggests he’ll bring a mix of aggressive batting and strategic thinking to the team, which could be a game-changer for Mumbai Indians.

The team’s management will likely be working on integrating him into their strategies quickly, especially with the playoffs approaching. Fans are hopeful that Bairstow’s arrival will help Mumbai Indians secure another IPL title, adding to their illustrious history.

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<![CDATA[Mumbai Indians announce key replacements for IPL 2025 Playoffs push]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/mumbai-indians-announce-key-replacements-for-ipl-2025-playoffs-push/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/mumbai-indians-announce-key-replacements-for-ipl-2025-playoffs-push/ Tue, 20 May 2025 11:57:47 GMT

The Mumbai Indians (MI) have been making tactical adjustments to strengthen their team ahead of the IPL 2025 playoffs, having made replacement announcements for Will Jacks, Ryan Rickelton, and Corbin Bosch. This revelation, posted by the Indian Premier League on May 20, 2025, is timely as the five-time league winners' playoff qualification remains in doubt. As MI continue their pursuit of yet another title, such replacements may be determinative in their campaign.

Will Jacks, a key all-rounder for MI, has been a standout performer this season, scoring 195 runs and taking five wickets in 11 matches. However, he, along with Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch, will miss the playoffs due to their commitments to the South African squad for the World Test Championship final, as mandated by Cricket South Africa. The players are required to return home by May 27, potentially affecting MI’s campaign. To fill these gaps, MI has reportedly brought in England stars Jonny Bairstow and Richard Gleeson, with Bairstow replacing Jacks and Gleeson stepping in for Rickelton, while a third replacement for Bosch has not been specified.

MI’s current standing, as noted in recent reports, shows them with 14 points from 12 matches, placing them fourth on the points table—a position that makes their playoff qualification likely but not guaranteed.
Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings have already secured their spots, leaving MI and Delhi Capitals to battle for the final playoff berth. The management of the team will expect these new recruits to bring the spark that will propel them to the winning line.

Bairstow and Gleeson: A Perfect Match?

Jonny Bairstow is a historically strong IPL player, amassing 1589 runs in 50 matches, and has been known to be a destructive batsman and keeper, with a total of 298 runs last year with Punjab Kings. Richard Gleeson is a 37-year-old English as well-paced with a good past for delivering strikes, though he may only be available for MI in non-scheduled competition games like the IPL due to T20 Blast with Warwickshire.

Also Read: IPL 2025: CSK vs RR Match 62 - A Head to Head breakdown

Both replacements could be a genius move if MI qualifies for the playoffs, but success will depend heavily on Bairstow's form and Gleeson settling quickly. As the IPL 2025 season approach, all eyes will be on MI to return to their former championship glory with their revamped squad.

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<![CDATA[Royal Challengers Bengaluru sign Zimbabwean quick as replacement for Lungi Ngidi for remainder of IPL 2025]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/royal-challengers-bengaluru-sign-zimbabwean-quick-as-replacement-for-lungi-ngidi-for-remainder-of-ipl-2025/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/royal-challengers-bengaluru-sign-zimbabwean-quick-as-replacement-for-lungi-ngidi-for-remainder-of-ipl-2025/ Mon, 19 May 2025 12:57:19 GMT

With the battle for the IPL 2025 heating up, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) have pulled off a strategic transfer by inking Zimbabwe pace bowler Blessing Muzarabani in place of South African pacer Lungi Ngidi, who will be out of action from May 26 for national commitments. Ngidi, who had been picked at the INR 1 Crore mark at the auction, played just one game this season with impressive figures of 3 for 30 against arch-rivals Chennai Super Kings.

His premature exit comes as he is set to join South Africa's team for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia, which is set to commence on June 11 at Lord's. Replacing Ngidi is Blessing Muzarabani, a lanky pacer who is famous for his bounce and ability to create unplayable angles with pace. Signed for INR 75 Lakh, Muzarabani finally makes his IPL debut after having been a net bowler for Lucknow Super Giants during the 2022 season.

Internationally, the 27-year-old has established a strong resume. He has played 12 Tests, 55 ODIs, and 70 T20Is for Zimbabwe, collecting 78 wickets in the shortest form. In total T20s, he has 127 wickets in 118 matches at a strike rate of 19.3 and an economy rate of 7.24. His recent form is noteworthy. Muzarabani claimed 9 wickets in Sylhet during Zimbabwe’s Test match against Bangladesh, earning the Player of the Match award for his efforts.

ALSO SEE:BCCI Makes Major Decision to Withdraw from Asia Cup After India-Pakistan Tensions

Zimbabwean speedster adds depth to RCB’s injury-hit bowling line-up

Muzarabani's signing is significant as he becomes only the fifth Zimbabwean player to play in the IPL, after Tatenda Taibu (KKR, 2008) and Sikandar Raza (PBKS, recent years). Although Ray Price and Brendan Taylor were also selected earlier by the Mumbai Indians (2011) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (2014), respectively, neither got much game time in the league.

With Josh Hazlewood in Australia right now with a shoulder problem and not likely to be back till later in the playoffs, RCB have had to roll their sleeves up. Muzarabani, whose bowling profile is similar to that of both Ngidi and Hazlewood, provides timely support to the franchise's overseas pace arsenal, particularly as games shift to possibly slower, high-pressure settings.

RCB, under the captaincy of Rajat Patidar in place of their usual skipper, are preparing to face Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 23 and Lucknow Super Giants on May 27 in their remaining league encounters. Having already qualified for the playoffs, the Bengaluru franchise will be fighting hard for a top-two position, which provides a second opportunity to make it to the final.

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<![CDATA[3 players who can replace Shreyas Iyer in PBKS squad]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-analysis/3-players-who-can-replace-shreyas-iyer-in-pbks-squad/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-analysis/3-players-who-can-replace-shreyas-iyer-in-pbks-squad/ Mon, 19 May 2025 10:35:04 GMT

The skipper and talismanic batter of the Punjab Kings (PBKS), Shreyas Iyer found himself in a very precarious situation. Much to the scare of the team's fans, their leader suffered a nasty blow to the index finger of his hand during a practice session one day before the match. He was seen chatting to the head coach, Ricky Ponting, about it and looked in disbelief. He, however, didn't pull out, and as captains are, gritty and dogged, he went along with it. The ice pack and magic spray came to his rescue for the time being, and only he knew for how long. 

Iyer usually bats one down in the order, but came further down. He could be seen struggling with donning his gloves, and eventually came in the middle at the fall of the third wicket of his team. He faced difficulties in timing the ball and was more often than not in a tentative state while batting in his brief and slow innings of 30 runs in 25 balls. His injured finger made him bat unlike his intrinsic self, and it was a worrying sign for everyone in the dugout and all of Punjab's faithful. 

In the second innings, the explosive batter didn't take the field. He was instead substituted, and Shashank Singh, the finisher, was handed over the captaincy duties. The stand-in captain was helped by Ricky Ponting and Shreyas too from the dugout. Punjab, in the end, managed a victory by 10 runs, and a favourable result in the match, scheduled later in the day, confirmed their playoff spot. 

 

 

See Also: IPL 2025: Why was Shreyas Iyer substituted in match between RR vs PBKS?

Shreyas has been in impeccable form this season, both with the bat and while leading the team. His bowling and fielding changes have been immaculate, and that has fetched the team immense success this season. He is also their second-highest run scorer after Prabhsimran Singh, and his impactful knocks have dealt an irreplaceable punch to the opposition. In an unfortunate scenario, if his finger is unable to heal in time for the rest of the matches in the season, PBKS will have a tough time in his absence and might have to rope in strong replacements.

While Shreyas Iyer is by far an irreplaceable asset for the Punjab Kings, here's a look at a few players who can potentially fill in his shoes for the remainder of the season -

Sarfaraz Khan

Sarfaraz Khan

India's relatively newer test entrant was unlucky to miss out in the auction. He went unsold at a base price of Rs 50 lakhs, while his brother Musheer bagged a deal with PBKS. He has not had great IPL returns over the years, but his recent exploits with the Indian test team might bring about a change in his attitude and produce the explosive best out of him, if recruited by the Punjab franchise. It is also the time to reward him for his stringent fitness regime that he has been on, off-season.

Anmolpreet Singh

Anmolpreet Singh

Prabhsimran Singh's cousin went unsold in the auction at a base price of 30 lakhs. Just a few weeks after that, he smashed the quickest List A hundred by an Indian, in 35 balls, and guided Punjab to a comprehensive victory over Arunachal Pradesh in a Vijay Hazare match. Previously, he has been a part of the Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad, but without much impact and a low average. 

KS Bharat

KS Bharat

Once in and out of the Indian test team, but still featuring in the World Test Championship final 2023, and now completely off the cards, Bharat can be a decent backup. Bharat, however, has not had many good moments in his IPL career and went unsold this time. His experience is a guarantee, and he has previously represented the Delhi Capitals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Gujarat Titans, and Kolkata Knight Riders. If brought in, he can play an anchor as well as an explosive innings. 

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<![CDATA[IPL 2025: Jonny Bairstow Set to Replace Will Jacks in the Mumbai Indians Squad]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/ipl-2025-jonny-bairstow-set-to-replace-will-jacks-in-the-mumbai-indians-squad/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/ipl-2025-jonny-bairstow-set-to-replace-will-jacks-in-the-mumbai-indians-squad/ Thu, 15 May 2025 21:28:10 GMT

Jonny Bairstow is in talks to join Mumbai Indians as a temporary replacement for Will Jacks, if the team makes it to the playoffs. Jacks has returned to India and is expected to play MI’s last two league matches, but he won’t be available for the playoffs due to England’s ODI series against West Indies, which clashes with the rescheduled knockout matches. According to Reports, Bairstow could step in for him, as long as he gets the required No-Objection Certificate (NOC).

Bairstow went unsold in last year’s auction and hasn’t played for England since June 2024. If everything goes as planned, he’ll fly to India after leading Yorkshire against Surrey in the County Championship this week. He would miss one Championship game and a couple of T20 Blast matches if he joins MI.

The experienced English batter has played 50 IPL games across five seasons, turning out for Sunrisers Hyderabad (2019-2021) and Punjab Kings (2022, 2024).
He has a great record, with an average of 34.54 and a strike rate of 144.45. He also has two IPL hundreds, including a memorable one during a record chase at Eden Gardens last season against KKR.


Will Jacks has been an important player for MI this season, featuring in 11 of their first 12 games.
He has scored 195 runs and taken five wickets with his off-spin. He was named Player of the Match in two key home wins against Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants.

ALSO READ: IPL 2025: Lucknow Super Giants sign New Zealand quick as replacement for Mayank Yadav

Mumbai Indians are currently in fourth place on the points table, with two league games left against Delhi Capitals on May 21 and Punjab Kings on May 26.
After a slow start to the season, they bounced back with six wins in a row, but lost narrowly to Gujarat Titans just before the tournament was paused due to tensions between India and Pakistan. MI could also lose Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch for the playoffs, as both have been picked in South Africa’s squad for the World Test Championship final next month.

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<![CDATA[IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians sign in Sri Lankan all rounder for remainder of tournament]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/ipl-2025-mumbai-indians-sign-in-sri-lankan-all-rounder-for-remainder-of-tournament/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/ipl-2025-mumbai-indians-sign-in-sri-lankan-all-rounder-for-remainder-of-tournament/ Thu, 15 May 2025 17:48:44 GMT

Mumbai Indians have approached Sri Lanka's white-ball captain Charith Asalanka to sign for the team for the rest of the IPL 2025 season, it is learnt. The signing is a response to the franchise being hit by the unavailability of some of its key overseas players during the decisive playoff stage because of international commitments. South African cricketers Corbin Bosch and Ryan Rickelton, and England's Will Jacks, will likely sit out the playoffs if Mumbai Indians make it to the playoffs. With the resumption of IPL on May 17 after it was suspended for a week, MI is looking to bolster its team for the grueling fight ahead.

Asalanka, who is respected for his quality batting style and off-spin attack, is being viewed as Will Jacks' like-for-like replacement. The two batsmen both bat in the number three position and have the ability to open the batting when needed as well. Both of these added options are immensely valuable to the Mumbai lineup, given that captain Rohit Sharma captains the team.

Asalanka set to boost Mumbai Indians’ playoff push with key skills

Mumbai Indians are currently fourth in the points table with seven victories from twelve games. Their previous match before the suspension of the IPL was a defeat against the Gujarat Titans, so their remaining matches are important for playoff qualification. MI will have to win both of the next two matches to stay alive in the playoffs without depending on other outcomes.

ALSO SEE: WATCH: ICC releases promo for World Test Championship Final 2025

Despite talks between the Mumbai Indians and Asalanka reported to be taking place, there has been no public confirmation made by either party yet. The agreement could now be finalized, according to sources, with the IPL schedule pushed back to June 3 after previous disruptions, so a hectic and tense conclusion to the competition is a distinct possibility.

Asalanka's inclusion adds not just depth in batting but also a spin option to the well-balanced MI side. The Sri Lankan captain's expertise in white-ball cricket at the international level will be valuable in the pressure-cooker games to come. With the playoffs approaching, Mumbai Indians' decision to sign Charith Asalanka may be the turning point in their bid for a sixth IPL title. Fans will be keen to observe how this new addition affects the team's dynamics in the last part of the season.

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<![CDATA[IPL 2025: Gujarat Titans rope in Sri Lanka star as replacement for Jos Buttler]]> https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/ipl-2025-gujarat-titans-rope-in-sri-lanka-star-as-replacement-for-jos-buttler/ https://www.cricketwinner.com/cricket-news/ipl-2025-gujarat-titans-rope-in-sri-lanka-star-as-replacement-for-jos-buttler/ Thu, 15 May 2025 12:04:39 GMT

Gujarat Titans (GT) have acquired Sri Lankan star Kusal Mendis as a replacement for Jos Buttler for the rest of the IPL 2025 season, reported Live Mint on May 15, 2025. Buttler, who has been in good touch for GT, scoring 392 runs in 11 games at a strike rate of 145, will be out of the playoffs due to England's white-ball series against the West Indies that begins on May 29, which overlaps with the latter stages of the IPL, including the June 3 final. GT, currently atop the points table with 16 points from 11 games, will depend on Mendis to replace the void as they look to win their second IPL title.

Mendis, an aggressive wicketkeeper-batter, adds experience and panache to GT's lineup, having played 64 ODIs and scored 1,294 runs at 31.56 and 71 T20Is and scored 1,588 runs at a strike rate of 134.29.
This is his first IPL stint, and he is the second Sri Lankan player on GT's team this season after Dasun Shanaka. The 30-year-old's prowess at holding innings and striking at the right moment makes him the ideal replacement for Buttler, particularly in the high-stakes playoff games. His stint begins with Qualifier 1 on May 30.

This decision follows Buttler's exit, which was confirmed following national obligations, a common issue for IPL franchises this season as a host of overseas players, among them South Africa's Kagiso Rabada and Australia's Pat Cummins, also missed games for the World Test Championship (WTC) final.
GT's administration moved quickly to capture Mendis, whose recent run in Sri Lanka's domestic competition, such as a century in the Lanka Premier League, lends solidity to their batting lineup.

Mendis' Contribution towards GT's Playoff Chase

Mendis will play as an opener with Shubman Gill and will be a solid customer at the top order, offering some options as a wicketkeeper. His performance in big events such as the 2022 T20 World Cup, where he scored 223 runs, will be crucial for GT as they head into the playoffs to face strong competitors in the form of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Also Read: Prithvi Shaw shares cryptic post ahead of IPL 2025 resumption

GT's strategic replacement indicates their determination to have a solid team even in the absence of Buttler. With Mendis on board, the Titans are set to go far in the IPL 2025 playoffs, looking to repeat their 2022 victory under Hardik Pandya's captaincy.

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