IPL 2024: Mumbai Indians name Luke Wood as injured Jason Behrendorff's replacement

The Hardik Pandya-led Mumbai Indians have named Luke Wood as the replacement for the injured Jason Behrendorff for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

Jason Behrendorff was traded by Royal Challengers Bangalore to Mumbai Indians, his former team, ahead of last year's IPL. He played 12 games in IPL 2023 and picked up 14 wickets at an average of 27.64. The left-arm pacer was retained ahead of the IPL 2024 auction. However, with only a few days left before the commencement of the 17th season of the cash-rich league, Mumbai have had to alter their plans and bring in England pacer Luke Wood as Behrendorff's replacement after the latter was ruled out due to an injury.

Wood is also a left-arm pacer, who has played five T20Is and two ODIs for the Three Lions. He has picked up eight wickets in his T20I career. He joins the Mumbai-based franchise for INR 50 Lakhs.

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Wood, who is 28 years old, has a wealth of experience in the T20 format. He has played 140 games in the shortest format and picked up 147 wickets at an average of 25.87 and a strike rate of 18.30. His economy rate is 8.45, which might not be great but he bowls some of the tough overs and that takes its toll.

He has travelled to different parts of the world to ply his trade in various franchise tournaments. He has been a part of teams like Peshawar Zalmi, Sylhet Strikers, Melbourne Stars, Quetta Gladiators, among others.

Luke Wood picked up 12 wickets in PSL 2024

Wood was a part of the Babar Azam-led Peshawar Zalmi in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League. They lost to Islamabad United in Eliminator 2. During the campaign, Wood picked up 12 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 29.08.

At the Mumbai Indians, Wood will be able to rub shoulders with star pacers like Jasprit Bumrah, Gerald Coetzee, and Dilshan Madushanka among others. It will be tough for him to break into the playing XI but he will surely gain some valuable expertise, sharing the dressing room with several stalwarts of modern-day cricket.

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