3 reasons why KKR signing Jason Roy for IPL 2023 is the right move
England opener Jason Roy has been signed by Kolkata Knight Riders for the 2023 Indian Premier League season for Rs 2.8 crore, an increase from his base of Rs 1.5 crore in the auction. This comes as the side is grappling with the losses of their skipper, Shreyas Iyer, and all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan, both of whom will be unable to participate this season due to injury.
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Iyer, who was signed for Rs 12.25 crore ahead of IPL 2022, has a lower back injury and will miss both this competition and the upcoming ICC World Test Championship 2021-23 final. Kolkata Knight Riders, the two-time champions of the title, will hope Roy adds heft to their batting order as well as the much-needed experience.
We take a look at the three reasons why Jason Roy is a good signing by KKR in IPL 2023:
#3 Experience in sub-continent
Jason Roy is an experienced player and has been involved in plenty of games in the sub-continent. He was part of Quetta in the PSL and hit form during the tournament. He is an attacking player and has played quite a few memorable innings in India – both in the IPL and international cricket.
His second last match before the IPL came for Quetta Gladiators in the PSL, where he smoked an astounding 145 runs in just 63 balls. He should slot in to open the innings and will be a great addition to the side for the rest of the tournament.
#2 Improvement against spin
There was a time when Jason Roy struggled against spin, but he hit his stride during the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. He worked with Liam Dawson in the nets and the hard work paid off as in 2021, against leg-spinners and left-arm orthodox, he averaged 31 and struck at a strike-rate of 143.
KKR has two solid spinners on their side in Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy and hence, the track will generally be on the slower side. They need their experienced batter to set the template right at the outset and take the attack to the slower bowlers. In the PSL, Roy was brutal against the spinners, but he will be tested in the IPL.
#1 Tried and tested pedigree
KKR appear to be light as far as experience is concerned and Jason Roy will surely boost the side. Roy withdrew from the 2020 edition after being signed by the Delhi Capitals for INR 1.5 crore. Subsequently, he joined SunRisers Hyderabad for IPL 2021 as a replacement for Mitchell Marsh, where he showcased an impressive performance, accumulating 150 runs across five games with a half-century.
To date, the player has participated in 13 IPL innings, accumulating a total of 329 runs at an average of 29.91. Additionally, his T20I career boasts a total of 1522 runs across 64 matches, including eight half-centuries.