IPL 2021: Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Sign Jason Behrendorff As Replacement For Josh Hazlewood

The Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have named left-arm seamer Jason Behrendorff as a replacement for Josh Hazlewood. Hazlewood, who made his IPL debut in 2020 in UAE, pulled out of the IPL 2021 season citing bubble fatigue and COVID concerns as reasons.

Josh Hazlewood was supposed to be one of the trump cards for the CSK team in this upcoming IPL 2021 tournament, however, he cited Australia’s upcoming winter season and bubble fatigue as reasons for him opting out of the IPL 14. Later he revealed that along with the said reasons, the current rise of COVID-19 cases in India played a role in him not playing in this season’s IPL.

It’s Been A Long 10 Months In Bubbles And Quarantine So I Decided To Have A Rest From Cricket: Josh Hazlewood

Hazlewood was to depart with other Australia’s IPL-bound players and join CSK but decided to skip the cash-rich league, which will start on April 9 and go on till May 30, and spend time at home for the next two months. He had played 3 IPL matches in IPL 2020.

“It’s been a long 10 months in bubbles and quarantine at different times, so I decided to have a rest from cricket and spend some time at home and in Australia in the next two months. We’ve got a big winter ahead. The West Indies is going to be a long tour, with Bangladesh (T20 tour) potentially thrown on the end of that. Then potentially the T20 World Cup leading into the Ashes, so it’s a big 12 months,” Hazlewood told Cricket Australia.

CSK Signs Jason Behrendorff For IPL 2021

Chennai Super Kings had previously contacted Billy Stanlake and Reece Topley to sign them as replacements for Hazlewood, but COVID-19 concerns and their respective county contracts led them to refuse the offer to play in the IPL 2021.

Now the IPL website confirmed that another Australian pacer, Jason Behrendorff has been signed by CSK for the IPL 2021. Behrendorff had made his IPL debut in 2019, playing for Mumbai Indians. He played 5 matches, taking 5 wickets. However, he spent most of the year 2020 in rehab after undergoing back surgery.

Now a fit and fine Behrendorff will don the CSK yellow for IPL 2021. Behrendorff, the left-arm quick, has featured in 11 ODIs and seven T20Is so far for Australia.

“Australian fast bowler Jason Behrendorff has signed up with the Chennai Super Kings as a replacement for compatriot Josh Hazlewood for the VIVO Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021,” the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said in a statement.

Chennai Super Kings will get their IPL 2021 campaign underway on Saturday (April 10) in Mumbai against last year’s runners-up Delhi Capitals.

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