IPL 2017: Five Players Who Can Replace Dwayne Bravo In The Gujarat Lions Squad

Apr 23, 2017 at 8:39 PM

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IPL 2017: Five Players Who Can Replace Dwayne Bravo In The Gujarat Lions Squad

Gujarat Lions, who are currently languishing at the bottom of the points table, suffered a huge setback when it was revealed that the star all-rounder Dwayne Bravo won’t be available for the rest of the IPL season.

Having won only two out of their first six games, the Lions were desperately waiting for the West Indian to recover but the rehabilitation work will take time.

His absence means that the Lions will be without one all-rounder. A replacement may be soon announced to fill Bravo’s place in the squad. However, there is no news about it yet.

But, that being said, while the Lions management looks into the profiles of potential prospects, Sportzwiki, in this piece, also has shortlisted a list of players who can replace the West Indies T20 giant.

Thisara Perera:

Courtesy: Associated Press

Thisara Perera recently made his return to the international fold against Bangladesh in the limited series at home. The 28-year-old had an impressive domestic season which made the selectors recall him to the XI after being dropped for unsatisfying performances last year.

He got opportunities in both the ODIs and T20s and made valuable contributions to the team. Perera, at his peak, was Sri Lanka’s top seam bowling all-rounder capable of economical bowling and aggressive batting.

He might not look as lethal as he was in the past, but has been very impressive in is comeback efforts. Therefore, Perera happens to be a great choice.

James Neesham:

Courtesy: Google

James Neesham most recent limited overs outing – an ODI series against South Africa – was very fruitful. He is in – form, has good variations as a bowler and can play sensible knocks, especially during chasing situations.

Overall, he may not possess the huge amount of experience of Bravo but his short T20 career has seen him perform really well. This makes him a really good candidate to replace the West Indian.

Wayne Parnell:

Courtesy: AFP

It was shocking to see Wayne Parnell end up in the list of unsold players in the IPL auction. The Proteas all-rounder who bowls left-arm medium pace is perhaps the best name to replace Bravo.

His credentials are wonderful and are arguably on par with Bravo in terms of creating an impact on the opposition.

He was recently picked in the 15-Man squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy which speaks for his quality. Lions will be boosted immensely with the inclusion of Parnell.

Farhaan Behardien:

Courtesy: AFP

Farhaan Behardien also is a wonderful option. Technically more of a batsman and a part time seam-up bowler, Behardien promises to boost Lions squad if picked.

Just like Parnell, Behardien is preferred name for the all-rounder’s slot in the national team.

He has been a top-class player for the Proteas on countless occasions, showing capability of winning matches and turning the course of the contests all on his own.

Dwaine Pretorius:

Courtesy: Getty Images.

The 28-year-old doesn’t have any international T20 experience to show but is a seasoned domestic cricketer. He appears to be an uncanny replacement for Bravo, as the South African appears to be quite orthodox when compare to the West Indians.

But, he has the potential to win matches and that would surely help Lions’ cause.

Special Inclusion – Irfan Pathan

Courtesy: BCCI

Irfan Pathan might look like a fading star but he still is good enough to add value to any team. Injuries and lack of opportunities have ruined him in the past couple of years and fans have seen very little of him. It was pretty upsetting to see him go unsold in the auctions as well.

Pathan, at the moment, is the only all-rounder in the unsold list who matches Dwayne Bravo in terms of batting and bowling ability as well as experience.

A glance at some of his matches in the past domestic season also suggests that the 32-year-old has totally adapted to the shortest format.

The addition of a knuckleball to his bag of bowling tricks and hitting the ball with more aggression clearly indicate that he still has optimism in him.

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