IPL 2021: 5 players who can replace Jofra Archer if he misses whole season

His searing pace might not be seen in the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), and the batsmen can breathe a sigh of relief. England bowling sensation Jofra Archer has confirmed that he is sure to miss the first half of the IPL, as he needs time to recuperate from an elbow injury. This will surely come as a jolt for the Rajasthan Royals (RR) side as Archer’s pace and his unrelenting accuracy had caught several batsmen off guard in the 13th edition of the IPL. The 25-year-old was the leading wicket-taker for the Rajasthan outfit in the previous season and had scalped 20 wickets at an average of just 18.25. And now, the 2008 IPL champions will surely have to find a replacement for the England pacer. In this article, let us take a look at 5 players who can replace Jofra Archer for the 2021 IPL edition. 5. Jason Behrendorff Jason Behrendorff. (Photo: Sandeep Mahankal/IANS) One possible replacement that the Rajasthan side could look for is left-arm pacer Jason Behrendorff. Behrendorff is tall and can get extra bounce off the surface. He can also get the new ball to nip around and his awkward left-arm angle can trouble the willow wielders. Behrendorff was impressive during the 2020-21 edition of the Big Bash League (BBL). Turning out for the Perth Scorchers outfit, the 30-year-old picked up 16 wickets and picked them at an excellent strike rate of 19.80. Behrendorff has also played 5 matches in the IPL and has picked up 5 wickets. The Rajasthan side already has the likes of Andrew Tye, Jaydev Unadkat, Chris Morris, and Mustafizur Rahman in their ranks. And surely, Behrendorff will be a welcome addition to the side. 4. Mitchell McClenaghan Mitchell McClenaghan. (Photo Source: Twitter) Another handy replacement for Jofra Archer could be Mitchell McClenaghan. McClenaghan is an experienced campaigner in T20 cricket and has turned out for the New Zealand side in 29 T20I matches. The left-arm pacer has picked up 30 wickets in T20Is and has picked them at an excellent strike rate of 20.27. McClenaghan has also been a part of the IPL and has played 56 matches in the tournament. The New Zealand pacer has picked up 71 wickets in the IPL and has picked his wickets at an average of 25.39. The Kiwi paceman has also been a part of three victorious IPL campaigns, all with the Mumbai Indians (MI). While Archer’s searing pace will be missed, McClenaghan can compensate for it with the extra bounce that he can get off the pitch. 3. Billy Stanlake Billy Stanlake of Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images) He is very tall. And, he can send the ball in at an express pace. Billy Stanlake is one of the most exciting fast bowlers to watch in T20 cricket today and can trouble any batsman on his day with the extra pace that he can generate. Stanlake has played 19 T20Is for Australia and has picked up 27 wickets. The fast bowler has a decent economy rate of 7.77, and his strike rate of 15.56 is highly impressive as well. Stanlake has also featured in 6 matches in the IPL and has picked up 7 wickets. Even though his economy rate in the IPL is on the higher side at 8.33, these are still early days in Stanlake’s career. Stanlake can be very handy with the new ball, and can also get the ball to seam around in the first 6 overs. The Rajasthan Royals (RR) should definitely look to rope in Stanlake as a replacement to Archer. 2. Oshane Thomas Oshane Thomas. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images) At the age of 24, Oshane Thomas has already garnered the attention of the cricketing world with his ability to send the ball in at a searing pace. He is tall, and can surely rattle the willow wielders with the ball in hand. Thomas has played 15 T20Is for the West Indies and has picked up 18 wickets at a strike rate of 17.0. And, if you want any confirmation of his ability, then all you need to do is to look at the damage he caused on 4th March 2020, in the 1st T20 against Sri Lanka at Pallekele. Thomas picked up 5/28 in the match and gobbled up the entire Sri Lankan top order. Thomas is young, he is quick and he is also tall. And surely, the West Indian can be a potent weapon in Rajasthan’s armor in the 2021 edition of the IPL. 1. Sheldon Cottrell Sheldon Cottrell. (Photo Source: IPL/BCCI) His ‘salute sendoff’ to the batsman is now a part of T20 folklore. Sheldon Cottrell is a pacer who brings a lot to the table. The left-arm pacer can be handy with the new ball with his ability to move the cherry into the right-handers early on. Also, Cottrell can flummox the batsmen with his clever changes in pace in the death overs. Cottrell has a good record in T20Is played for the West Indies. The tall left-arm bowler has played 30 T20Is and has picked up 37 wickets. Cottrell has also featured in 6 IPL matches and has scalped 6 wickets at a strike rate of 20.00. One man’s exit opens the door for another man’s entry. And now, Archer’s unavailability could allow Cottrell to once again wear the IPL jersey in the 14th edition of the IPL.

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IPL 2021: 5 players who can replace Jofra Archer if he misses whole season

One man’s exit opens the door for another man’s entry.

1. Sheldon Cottrell

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