IPL 2023: Punjab Kings name uncapped Aussie as Jonny Bairstow's replacement | READ

IPL 2023: England's explosive wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow will not play for the Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League 2023 due to the injury he picked up last year in August. Learning about Bairstow's injury the Kings have named uncapped Australian player Matthew Short as his replacement. 

Punjab Kings were in constant touch with BCCI and have been waiting for the exact fitness status of the England wicketkeeper-batsman from the ECB. Jonny Bairstow though had started to recover from his injury and resumed training in this year's February month. Bairstow started to bat in Yorkshire nets and will feature in the County Championship to take place in year's May month. After learning about the fitness status of Baistow, BCCI informed Punjab Kings to go ahead with the replacement. 

Now Punjab Kings have announced Jonny Bairstow's replacement in the name of uncapped Australian player Matthew Short. Kings posted a video on their Twitter handle regarding the same. 

Punjab Kings name uncapped Aussie as Bairstow's replacement

🚨 IMPORTANT UPDATE 🚨

We regret to inform you that Jonny Bairstow will not be a part of the IPL this season because of his injury. We wish him the best and look forward to seeing him next season.

We are pleased to welcome Matthew Short as his replacement.

#PunjabKings pic.twitter.com/NnUMjCe8jV

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) March 25, 2023

"We regret to inform you that Jonny Bairstow will not be a part of the IPL this season because of his injury. We wish him the best and look forward to seeing him next season. We are pleased to welcome Matthew Short as his replacement", the franchise wrote in the caption. 

Who is Matthew Short?

Mathew Short is an uncapped Australian batsman who plays for Victoria at the state level and has also played for the Adelaide Strikers and Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League. Short till now has played 67 T20 matches and made 1409 at a strike rate of 136.00 and also has a hundred behind his name. 

This will be a maiden Indian Premier League appearance for Matthew Short he was the Player of the Tournament in the recent Big Bash League wherein he smashed 458 runs at a strike rate of 144.47. Short was also the second-highest run-scorer of the tournament. 

Coming to Jonny Bairstow so the right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman hit 253 runs in 11 innings, at an average of 23.00 and a strike rate of 144.57. He also scored two half-centuries in the last season.