Gujarat Lions head coach Brad Hodge has confirmed their all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will be back in action for the third game of the season.
At a time when the Gujarat Lions are struggling to replicate the form that helped them finish the last edition of the IPL as its table-toppers, they have received a much-needed injury boost.
The Gujarat-based franchise was without two of their key players Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo for their opening two games of the tenth edition of the IPL and lost both the games badly.
In their season-opener against Kolkata Knight Riders, they suffered a humiliating 10-wicket loss despite posting a massive 183, while in their second game, they suffered another heavy defeat of 9-wickets at the hands of defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad.
The bowling is obviously the weak link and it will be surely boosted by the arrival of Jadeja, who is in the form of his life. The left-arm spinner was advised rest by a medical team of the BCCI for at least two weeks after a gruelling home season but Hodge confirmed the all-rounder is set to make an early return.
Meanwhile, Hodge said that the Lions are still uncertain on the availability of Bravo. The West Indies star is yet to play a game since he was stretchered off the Big Bash League game between the Melbourne Renegades and Perth Scorchers on Dec. 29, 2016.
” Not sure of Bravo’s availability but Jadeja will be back next game,” Hodge said while interacting with the commentator at the sidelines of his team’s game against Sunrisers Hyderabad. “We tried to go in with guys who we thought would make an impact. It hasn’t worked but there’s plenty of time for us to get things right.”
Lions’ next match is against Rising Pune Supergiant on April 14.