BENGALURU: India pacer Prasidh Krishna is set to miss IPL 2023 with a lumbar stress fracture that will require the Rajasthan Royals bowling spearhead to go under the knife.
The injury dampens the pacer’s prospects of representing India at the ICC World Cup set to be played in the country in October-Novemebr 2023.
Prasidh will be celebrating his 27th birthday on Sunday and hasn’t played competitive cricket since India’s ODI tour of Zimbabwe in August. He was selected for India A’s white-ball series against New Zealand A in September. He suffered an injury after being named for the series. On further examination of the injury, it surfaced that the bowler had a stress fracture
Prasidh has been undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru since then and was initially anticipated to have fully recovered in time for the Ranji Trophy knockouts in January-February.
Unfortunately, the injury has not healed adequately, prompting the NCA and Royals’ medical team, who have been working closely together, to advocate surgery.
“We are doing everything possible to support and aid Prasidh’s recovery process from injury, and hope to see him steaming in soon. Our coaching staff has been actively identifying and developing pacers from our trials and preparatory camps, as we work towards a decision on Prasidh’s replacement. Unfortunately, after consulting the medical staff and him, it was decided that he will not be able to take part in IPL 2023,” read a statement issued by Rajasthan Royals.
The Royals spent INR 10 crore for him in the IPL auction last year, making him the third-most expensive signing among fast bowlers ahead of the 2022 season.
Prasidh was the Royals’ second-highest wicket-taker in the 2022 season which saw them reach their first final since 2008. He took 19 wickets in 17 matches, including 3-22 against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Qualifier 2.
Prasidh went on to play in India’s white-ball trips to England and the Caribbean that followed. In 14 ODIs, he has 25 wickets at an average of 23.92 and an economy rate of 5.32. The Royals are likely to name a replacement for the right-arm pacer. (ANI)