IPL 2018: 5 players who can replace Steve Smith and David Warner
The ball-tampering saga has finally come to an end with Steve Smith and David Warner handed a ban of 12 months each. Cameron Bancroft has also been handed a 9-month ban following his actions. Earlier today, Amitabh Choudhary, the acting secretary of the BCCI said that the duo will not feature in the Indian Premier League(IPL) this year after their on-field actions.
Both Warner and Smith were important players for their respective franchises. Smith's absence may well be a blessing in disguise for the Rajasthan Royals as they will be able to accommodate their four overseas players. On the other hand, the Sunrisers Hyderabad have been taken aback by this decision and Kane Williamson or Shikhar Dhawan may lead the side.
The replacements for both players are expected to be announced shortly. The franchises can select any player from the list of unsold players. On this note, let us have a look at five players who might replace the duo.
#5 Joe Root
England's skipper Joe Root missed last year's IPL auction due to the birth of his child. However, thought Root was a part of this year's auction, the English skipper attracted no bids for himself. It came as a surprise to many when Root was unsold in the auction. He is often considered as a Test player albeit his T20 records show otherwise.
Root has featured in 25 T20Is in which he has scored 743 runs at an average of 39.10. His strike rate of 128.76 is decent for a player of his calibre and class. The right-handed batsman has the ability to rotate the strike in the middle overs of an innings. His ability against the spinner is another asset on the slow turning pitch of Hyderabad.
Root's captaincy exploits can be also brought to life in the IPL. The Rajasthan Royals have already announced their captain and might not be interested in Root but the Sunrisers Hyderabad are expected to target him.