5 players whom RR could sign as Prasidh Krishna's replacement in IPL 2023
Rajasthan Royals (RR) have suffered a massive blow ahead of IPL 2023 as their star fast bowler Prasidh Krishna has been ruled out of the entire tournament. Krishna has a lumbar stress fracture, which is why he will be unavailable to play any matches this season.
The Indian pacer was one of the most expensive signings at last year's mega auction. Rajasthan Royals broke the bank and acquired his services for ₹10 crore. Informing fans about Prasidh Krishna's injury status, RR wrote in a statement today:
"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," RR added.
As mentioned by Rajasthan Royals, they have started looking for a replacement. RR's overseas quota is full, so they will have to sign an Indian replacement for Prasidh Krishna. On that note, here are five players whom RR could target.
#1 Sandeep Sharma
It was a little surprising to see Sandeep Sharma remain unsold at the IPL 2023 Auction. The right-arm pacer has a ton of IPL experience under his belt. He has played 104 matches for Punjab Kings and SunRisers Hyderabad, scalping 114 wickets at an economy rate of 7.77.
Sharma's swing and new-ball bowling has given even the best batters in the world a tough time. Rajasthan Royals may look to sign the former Punjab Kings star as a replacement in IPL 2023.
#2 Dhawal Kulkarni
Another experienced Indian pacer to feature on the list is Dhawal Kulkarni. He has represented the Royals in the past and has done a decent job for the Jaipur-based franchise.
Kulkarni remained unsold at last year's auction and worked as a commentator in IPL 2022. He did not find a buyer once again at the IPL 2023 Auction, but RR could now rope him in as a replacement for Prasidh Krishna.
#3 Varun Aaron
Varun Aaron was a member of the Gujarat Titans squad that won IPL 2022. However, the veteran Indian pacer does not have an IPL contract right now. Aaron has express pace like Prasidh Krishna, which is why RR might consider signing him.
For the record, Aaron has played 52 IPL matches, picking up 44 wickets. He has also had a stint with the Rajasthan Royals in the past.
#4 Vijaykumar Vyshak
Among the uncapped Indian pacers who remained unsold at this season's auction, Vijaykumar Vyshak had a great domestic season. Playing for Karnataka, the medium pacer bagged 15 wickets in eight matches of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022/23.
His economy rate in the competition was 6.31, while his best figures were 3/5. Vyshak could be a decent addition to the RR squad.
#5 Aniket Choudhary
In case the Rajasthan Royals want to add some local flavor to their squad, they could bring in Rajasthan domestic team's top pacer Aniket Choudhary as a replacement for Prasidh Krishna. The left-arm pacer has been a part of the Punjab Kings and the Royal Challengers Bangalore in previous IPL seasons.
Choudhary had an impressive outing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2022/23, where he picked up 11 wickets in seven matches. It will be interesting to see if RR hand him an IPL deal.