IPL 2023: New Zealand all-rounder who smashed century during mammoth run-chase in Hyderabad called up by RCB to replace injured Englishman

With the news of English all-rounder Will Jacks injuring himself emerging, the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have moved swiftly to replace the batter, bringing in star New Zealand all-rounder Michael Bracewell to take Jacks' place in the squad for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023.

Jacks was ruled out of IPL 2023 after sustaining an injury during the second ODI of the three-match series against Bangladesh in Mirpur. He made his T20I debut in against Bangladesh after shining in the Vitality Blast and the inaugural edition of the SA20 league in South Africa.

Jacks was signed by RCB for a massive Rs 3.20 crore after a bidding war with Rajasthan Royals (RR). He had a base price of Rs 1.5 crore. The all-rounder has scored 2,802 runs from 109 T20s at an average of 29.80 including one century and 23 half-centuries. With the ball, he has 26 wickets at an average of 23.57 and an economy rate of 7.25.

Meanwhile, Bracewell is currently playing the Test series against Sri Lanka. He has played 16 T20Is, scored 113 runs, and picked up 21 wickets, and will join RCB at his base price of Rs 1 Crore.

More recently, he smashed a brilliant 140 when his team toured India for a limited-over series. It was the same match in which Shubman Gill smashed a double hundred as India set their opponents a massive target of 349 runs. In response, the Kiwis fought their way through the match but were well behind the required run rate before Bracewell's magical innings off just 78 balls. He hit 12 fours and 10 sixes during that brilliant innings but his side were unfortunately dismissed for 337 runs. 
Bracewell has never previously played in the IPL and went unsold during December’s auction. Meanwhile, RCB will kick off their campaign against five-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians on April 2 at their home ground, M Chinnaswamy Stadium.
RCB squad for IPL 2023

Faf du Plessis (c), Virat Kohli, Suyash Prabhudessai, Rajat Patidar, Dinesh Karthik, Michael Bracewell, Anuj Rawat, Finn Allen, Glenn Maxwell, Wanindu Hasaranga, Shahbaz Ahmed, Harshal Patel, David Willey, Karn Sharma, Mahipal Lomror, Mohammed Siraj, Josh Hazlewood, Siddarth Kaul, Akash Deep, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Will Jacks (injured), Manoj Bhandage, Rajan Kumar, Avinash Singh, Sonu Yadav

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