To most people’s surprise, Jason Roy went unsold at the December auction ahead of IPL 2023. Perhaps, it had something to do with the fact that the Englishman, who had been bought by Gujarat Titans for Rs 2 crore, had pulled out of the previous edition, citing the extended bio-bubble which would have kept him away from his young family for over two months. Roy had also skipped the 2020 edition for personal reasons after having been procured by Delhi Capitals for Rs 1.5 crore.

Shakib’s replacement

It took Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan’s decision to withdraw to pave the way for Roy’s eventual return as he was snapped up as a replacement by Kolkata Knight Riders. Since he has been part of the playing XI, there has been a little more panache to the KKR batting, and Roy once again showcased his aggressive mien with a third consecutive meaningful knock at the M Chinnaswamy on Wednesday.