The Gujarat Lions all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has been ruled out of Indian Premier League (IPL), skipper Suresh Raina confirmed during the toss time against Kings XI Punjab.

The all-rounder was to get fit for the second phase of the league but now has been ruled out of the whole tournament.

“Yes, Dwayne Bravo has been ruled out of the tournament. He had been doing all the rehab but just couldn’t take the heat. Would need another few weeks to get ready. We need to have a chat with the management and see who could be the replacement,” said Raina at the time of the toss.

Bravo, who was with the team till a few days back participated in the net sessions along with the players. Earlier, it was reported that he might get fit for the game against Kolkata Knight Riders after clearing a fitness test. But now, looks like he couldn’t prove match fitness and need some more time to recover.

The West Indian all-rounder injured himself during the Big bash League 2016/17. He suffered a hamstring injury and went on to miss the Pakistan Super League as well.

Brad Hodge, the Gujarat Lions Head coach was optimistic about his return but now it’s a big blow for the franchise, which would look for a suitable replacement soon.

Last year, Gujarat Lions ended the tournament as the top placed team in the group stage. Bravo had an instrumental role in their success, as in 15 games, he scalped 17 wickets and also scored 99 runs. Surely, replacing a player like Bravo will not be an easy task for the franchise.

Currently, the team sits at last position in the points table with just two wins in their account. They need to win at least six games to keep their hopes alive to qualify for the next round. It’s a tough road for the team ahead and they will look to turn the fortunes.