IPL 2023: Three Best Replacements for Jonny Bairstow at Punjab Kings

Before the much anticipated IPL 2023, the Punjab Kings were struck with a severe setback when the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) denied NOC to PBKS’ overseas recruit Jonny Bairstow which will make him miss the entire tournament.  

It’s a baffling decision by the ECB as leave alone Bairstow all the other IPL-bound English players have got the green signal to take part in the cash-rich league. After spending the majority of last year away from the field, Bairstow is slowly and steadily getting back to his groove. His recent progress suggests he would be fit enough to play some part in the two-month-long tournament, but despite that he’ll not take part in the competition as England wants him fit and ready ahead of the five-match Ashes series at home scheduled to take place later this year in the UK.

It’s a big blow for PBKS since they will be without a star batter. Bairstow is one of the most explosive batters when it comes to white-ball cricket. An early decision on Bairstow’s availability would allow the franchise to source an overseas replacement ahead of the competition. In this listicle, we look at 3 players who can replace Jonny Bairstow in the PBKS squad.

3) Matthew Short

Not the most famous name when it comes to overseas openers but Short is quite a capable batter in the T20 circuit. Australian batter Matthew Short made a name for himself with his explosive batting performances in white-ball cricket. He has the ability to play the anchor role as well as go boom from the first ball. And is in line to replace Bairstow in Punjab. The 27-year-old opens the batting for Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League.

Second-highest run-scorer in the last year’s BBL, the tall right-handed batter amassed 458 runs across 14 innings at an average and strike rate of 35.23 and 144.47 respectively including a match-winning hundred and two half-centuries. Given how well Short has performed in T20 cricket over the last few months, PBKS might well be interested in giving him a chance to showcase his talent with the bat in IPL 2023. Adding that he brings value with the ball as well, making him a great T20 asset. 

2) Tom Kohler-Cadmore

Tom Kohler-Cadmore has been in red-hot form with the bat and he should be one of the frontrunners to replace Bairstow. He has the ability to tonk the ball from the word go. The dynamic batter has the potential to turn the momentum of the match in the space of a few deliveries. If he hits the ball off the middle of the bat, it often stays hit. He’s one of the few batters in the world who can bat at any given number. The Englishmen have played in many lucrative T20 leagues around the world with the exception of the IPL. His wealth of experience of playing in various T20 competitions should push his name ahead in the race to be roped in as a replacement player.

Like Bairstow, Kohler-Cadmore goes hard at the bowlers and is versatile enough to play according to the situation of the game. In his T20 career, Kohler-Cadmore has played 145 games, scoring close to 4000 runs (3787) at an average of 29.58 and strike rate of 139.02. If PBKS are looking for someone to go out there and start attacking the bowlers, they have a near-perfect option in Kohler-Cadmore.

1) Jason Roy 

Roy went unsold during the IPL Auction. One of the reasons could be that he pulled out of the IPL 2022 after being snapped by the Gujarat Titans in the IPL 2022 auction. He has rediscovered his form back and is looking as destructive as ever. His recent run of form can prompt any franchise to call him as a replacement player. Roy can strengthen the top order and make it more challenging. He can offer steadiness and rapidly dislodge the opposition from the game. An aggressive batsman who enjoys challenging the opposition, Jason Roy. Even when the odds are against his team, he has the ability to assault the opposition.

In the recently concluded PSL 2023, he slammed a sensational 145 off just 63 balls for his team Quetta Gladiators to help his team chase a mammoth total. Before this innings, he smashed a hundred against South Africa in an ODI game. Continuing his good form, he scored another hundred against Bangladesh earlier this month. The swashbuckling top-order batter has three hundreds to his name in the starting three months of this year. Roy is an excellent pick as a replacement of his countrymen at PBKS.