IPL 2017: Delhi Daredevils all-rounder Angelo Mathews won't take part if not fully fit
What’s the story?
Delhi Daredevils are on injury watch ahead of IPL 2017 once again. After Quinton de Kock and JP Duminy were confirmed as unavailable for the tenth edition of the tournament, they will now be fretting on the fitness of Sri Lankan all-rounder Angelo Mathews.
Mathews has been ruled out of the T20I series against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka Cricket Manager Asanka Gurusinha confirmed that he is not likely to take part in the IPL if he is not 100 % fit, especially with the Champions Trophy in June.
Speaking to Cricbuzz, Gurusinha said: "He is definitely out of the first T20 and he is unlikely to play the second game as well. It's very disappointing because Angelo had put in lot of hard work. His hamstring is fine now, but his right calf is not okay.We know how important Angelo is for us and he knows that too. He has told me that he is not likely to go for the IPL if he is not 100 percent fit. Champions Trophy in England and Wales is our next big target and Angelo is fully committed to that."
Extra Cover: Delhi Daredevils (DD) IPL 2017 jersey unveiled
The Details
Mathews admitted that it was frustrating to miss out on the T20Is, having already missed out on the Test and ODI series against Bangladesh. But he said that the physios advised that he “would need more time to recover” as things haven’t gone according to plan.
DD will be hoping that the issue is not serious, even if they have cover in the form of Corey Anderson, Chris Morris and Carlos Brathwaite ahead of the tenth edition of the IPL.
The Context
The 29-year-old all-rounder injured himself earlier in the year, during the T20I series against South Africa. He hasn't played an international game since January 2017 but was still signed by the Delhi Daredevils during the IPL Auction 2017.
Extra Cover: DD team 2017: Full list of players bought by Delhi Daredevils
What’s next?
Delhi Daredevils begin their IPL campaign at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru where they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 8.
Author’s Take
Having already lost Quinton de Kock and JP Duminy, which was described as a “huge blow” by coach Rahul Dravid, DD will be hoping that they don’t lose any more players ahead of the tenth edition of the tournament. Even if Mathews is unlikely to take part in their opener, fans will be hoping that the experienced Sri Lankan captain will be fit to take part later in the season.