Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Sam Curran has been ruled out of the IPL 2026. The England international is currently dealing with a groin injury and will not recover in time for the cash-rich tournament. Notably, he was signed as part of a trade deal that saw Sanju Samson leave Rajasthan for Ravindra Jadeja and Curran.ย
The cricketer was expected to solve Rajasthanโs death-over woes and in his absence, the team management is in search of a replacement. Hereโs a list of three cricketers who can make the cut.
3. Dasun Shanaka
Sri Lanka international Dasun Shanaka could be on Rajasthanโs radar. He went unsold in the IPL auction but had a decent run in the T20 World Cup. In seven matches, the 34-year-old made 165 runs, at a blistering strike rate of 187.50. He can bring the fireworks at the death and with Donovan Ferreira currently dealing with a shoulder injury, Shanaka can fit perfectly at number seven. With the ball, Shanaka picked up three wickets at an economy rate of nine in the World Cup.
2. Gus Atkinson
If the goal is to find a decent bowling all-rounder, Gus Atkinson fits the bill. He can bowl with the new ball alongside Sandeep Sharma, which will allow Rajasthan to save Jofra Archer for the death overs. With the bat, Atkinson can produce fireworks as well, but he doesnโt guarantee consistency. The England international has played 58 T20s in his career, claiming 72 wickets at an economy rate of 9.03.
1. Wiaan Mulder
Wiaan Mulder is possibly the best option to replace Curran in the squad. The South Africa international is flexible with the bat and can deliver results in the middle overs. The 28-year-old has played 142 T20 matches in his career, scoring 2334 runs at a strike rate of 130.68. With the ball, he claimed 78 wickets at an economy rate of 8.65. Last year, he made his IPL debut, playing just one game for Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he scored nine runs.ย
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