Richardson, who was roped in by the five-time champions ahead of the tournament, sustained a hamstring injury, and as a result, he was ruled out of the cash-rich league’s 16th season.
Mumbai have picked Riley Meredith, another skilful fast bowler from Australia, to replace Richardson in their squad for INR 1.5 crores. Notably, Meredith has already played in 5 T20I matches for Australia, where he has shown his potential by picking up eight wickets, including a three-wicket haul. Meredith was in exceptional form in the previous edition of the Big Bash League (BBL), where he bagged 21 wickets in 14 matches for Hobart Hurricanes.
When it comes to the lucrative tournament, he has previously represented the Punjab Kings (PBKS) as well as the Mumbai, which will make his transition to the MI setup smoother. There is no denying that Meredith will add depth and quality to Mumbai’s fast-bowling attack spearheaded by Jofra Archer.
“Mumbai Indians (MI) on Wednesday named Riley Meredith as a replacement for injured fast bowler Jhye Richardson. Richardson is suffering from a hamstring injury and is ruled out of the 16th edition of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL). His replacement, Australian fast bowler, Riley Meredith, has played 5 T20Is picking up 8 wickets that include a three-wicket haul. He has represented the Punjab Kings & Mumbai Indians in the previous editions of the IPL. He joins MI for INR 1.5 Crore,” read an IPLT20 media release.
Mumbai’s start to the current season has been disappointing, as they suffered an 8-wicket defeat at the hands of Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. However, they will aim to turn their fortunes around in their upcoming high-profile match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday, April 8th.
For latest cricket news & updates, visit CricketTimes.com.