LONDON: Hard-hitting England batter Jonathan Bairstow is likely to withdraw from the Indian Premier League (IPL) in a bid to focus on the upcoming Ashes, English news outlet The Guardian reported.
Bairstow, who is on a road to recovery from a freak injury as he sustained multiple fractures, a dislocated ankle and ligament damage from a freak slip on the golf course in September, is likely to prioritize his national duty over the cash-rich IPL.
The injury forced the in-form batter to miss major events including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 and England’s Test tour of Pakistan and New Zealand.
Following the gruelling injury, Bairstow underwent successful surgery on his left leg and has made encouraging progress since then. The wicketkeeper batter returned to running outdoors last month and has now recently begun training in the nets.
With this year’s IPL around the corner, starting from March 31, Bairstow is unlikely to join his franchise Punjab Kings right from the commencement of the tournament and instead expected to plot his return to Yorkshire in County Cricket Championship.
“But the IPL, that gets underway on 31 March and runs until the end of May, is expected to come too soon. His franchise, Punjab Kings, would have to keep an overseas slot vacant until midway through the tournament and, as such, Bairstow is instead expected to plot his return to playing back at Yorkshire,” The Guardian reported.
It is pertinent to mention that England will host Australia for the Ashes from June 16 to July 31.
