Ahead of IPL 2024, Mumbai Indians have announced Luke Wood as the replacement for the injured Jason Behrendorff. Wood, a left-arm pacer, brings international experience, having played five T20Is and two ODIs for England, claiming eight T20I wickets so far.
With his international debut in 2022 and first-class debut in 2014, Wood has also showcased his skills in franchise cricket, notably representing Trent Rockets in The Hundred and Sylhet Strikers in BPL 2022-23, where he played a pivotal role in their journey to the final. Mumbai Indians secured Wood’s services for ₹50 lakhs.
Behrendorff’s absence poses a challenge for MI, compounded by Suryakumar Yadav’s injury concerns. Mark Boucher, MI’s head coach, stated, “We are awaiting updates on Suryakumar from the BCCI. We have always been under a cloud of fitness issues but we have a world-class medical team. We may lose one or two in terms of fitness but we have to move on as is sport.”
Suryakumar last played in the third T20I against South Africa and hasn’t participated in competitive cricket since. MI kicks off their IPL 2024 campaign against Gujarat Titans on Sunday in Ahmedabad.
The upcoming season also marks the return of Hardik Pandya to MI after a successful stint with GT. Appointed as MI’s new skipper, replacing Rohit Sharma, Pandya shared insights during the pre-season press conference, clarifying his injury situation from the 2023 World Cup. He emphasized that his injury wasn’t related to past fitness issues but rather a sudden twist of his ankle while attempting a fielding play. Despite pushing to return earlier, he had to prioritize his recovery, underscoring his commitment to representing India.
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