England batter Jason Roy opted out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, stating family reasons. The 33-year-old stated that it was important for him to take a break and spend some time with the family as he has been on the road since the beginning of the year. Notably, Roy is an integral part of the KKR franchise. Last year, he was on the verge of signing a contract with the Knight Riders, which would have allowed him to represent the franchise in every franchise tournament where they feature. However, the deal couldn’t go through.
Meanwhile, Roy was part of the Paarl Royals in the second edition of the ILT20 and is currently playing for Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League (PSL). After this, he will be travelling back to England to spend time with his family. However, Roy stated that he would be cheering for Kolkata during IPL and also wished them well for the 17th edition of the competition.
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“After much consideration, I have made the tough decision to miss this year's IPL. Having been away since the start of January I need to get back to my family and have a refresh before a very busy year ahead. I will be supporting my friends and teammates at KKR throughout the tournament and wish them the best of luck,” Jason Roy said in a statement.
You’ll be missed Jason. But we understand 💜 pic.twitter.com/wrAdafC08G
— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) March 11, 2024
KKR have signed dynamic England batter Phil Salt in Roy’s absence. The 27-year-old is known for his aggressive batting and recently hit two consecutive centuries against West Indies, which helped England win the series. Notably, Salt was part of the Delhi Capitals in 2023, but the franchise didn’t retain him and no other team bought him in the auction. After Roy pulled out, KKR signed him for his reserved price of INR 1.5 crore.
On the other hand, the majority of the Indian players in the KKR camp have started their practice for the upcoming tournament in Mumbai. They would move to Kolkata once the Ranji Trophy final ends. Meanwhile, star all-rounder Andre Russell is slated to come to India early next week. Meanwhile, KKR will play their first match on March 23 against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the iconic Eden Gardens.
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from IPL Live Score | IPL News, IPL 2024 Updates, Squads & Results - CricTracker