Ben Dwarshuis IPL: Delhi Capitals sign Australian pacer as Chris Woakes’ replacement for IPL 2021

Ben Dwarshuis IPL: The uncapped Australian fast bowler will soon be joining his new IPL team’s bio-bubble in the UAE.

Indian Premier League franchise Delhi Capitals have signed uncapped Australian fast bowler Ben Dwarshuis as England all-rounder Chris Woakes’ replacement for the second phase of the 14th season of the tournament beginning from September 19.

Alongside Jonny Bairstow (Sunrisers Hyderabad) and Dawid Malan (Punjab Kings), Woakes was among the three English cricketers who pulled out of IPL 2021 as recent as last week.

Dwarshuis’ signing means that all the three aforementioned players have been replaced by their respective franchises. While Malan was replaced was South Africa batsman Aiden Markram at Kings, Bairstow was replaced by West Indies batsman Sherfane Rutherford at Sunrisers.

In what was his first season for Capitals and third overall in the IPL, Woakes had picked five wickets in three matches at an average of 16.40, an economy rate of 7.45 and a strike rate of 13.20 in the first leg of IPL 2021.

Ben Dwarshuis IPL stats

Dwarshuis, 27, is uncapped when it comes to both Australia and the Indian Premier League. Readers must note that the left-arm fast bowler was bought by Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) for INR 1.4 crore in IPL 2018 auction but was released without being handed an opportunity.

One of the three names in our article regarding Josh Hazlewood’s replacement at Chennai Super Kings earlier this year, Dwarshuis will now play under captain Rishabh Pant and head coach Ricky Ponting at Capitals.

While Dwarshuis will have Steven Smith and Marcus Stoinis as fellow Australians in the squad, he will be contesting with the likes of Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Tom Curran for a spot in the Playing XI.

In 13 matches for Worcestershire in the ongoing T20 Blast 2021, Dwarshuis had picked 15 wickets at an average of 27.93, an economy rate of 8.91 and a strike rate of 18.8. Dwarshuis, however, was the second-highest wicket-taker in Big Bash League 2020-21 picking 24 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 16.79, an economy rate of 8.85 and a strike rate of 11.3.

Currently at top of the points table with six victories and two losses in their eight matches this season, Delhi will be playing their first match of the second leg against Hyderabad on September 22 in Dubai.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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