“Hope you can all respect and appreciate my decision”: Jason Roy thanks Hardik Pandya and Gujarat Titans for IPL 2022 bid; vows to follow all GT IPL 2022 matches

Jason Roy thanks Hardik Pandya and Gujarat Titans: The English batter won’t be participating in Indian Premier League 2022.

England and Gujarat Titans batter Jason Roy opted out of the 15th season of the Indian Premier League last night. Into their maiden season, Titans had bought the English opener for his base price of INR 2 crore late into into the mega auction held in Bengaluru last month.

It is the second time that Roy has opted out of an IPL season. Bought by Delhi Capitals for his base price of INR 1.5 crore in IPL 2020 auction, Roy had decided to skip the tournament due to personal reasons.

Roy, who had remained unsold in IPL 2021 auction, was subsequently bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad as a replacement player for injured all-rounder Mitchell Marsh.

All in all, Roy has represented three franchises across as many seasons scoring 329 runs in 13 IPL innings at an average and strike rate of 29.91 and 129.02 respectively including two half-centuries.

In addition to Roy’s potential as a natural hard-hitting opener, GT have also lost out on an in-form player. Having represented Quetta Gladiators in the recently concluded Pakistan Super League 2022, Roy had emerged as the eighth-highest run-scorer (highest for Quetta) amassing 303 runs in just six innings at an average and strike rate of 50.50 and 170.22 respectively with the help of a century and two half-centuries.

Jason Roy thanks Hardik Pandya and Gujarat Titans for IPL 2022 bid

Roy, 31, took to his social media handles to put out an explanation with respect to his withdrawal from the cash-rich league. Roy, who started by thanking Titans captain Hardik Pandya and the team management for showing faith in him during the auction, hinted at how staying in bio-bubbles has “taken a toll” on him.

Citing a busy English summer followed by ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, Roy laid emphasis on “spending quality time” with his young family back home. Roy, however, vowed to follow all Titans’ matches in the hope of them lifting an IPL title in their maiden attempt.

It is worth mentioning that Gujarat are yet to name a replacement for Roy. With South Africa batter David Miller and Australia wicket-keeper batter Matthew Wade already in their (now) 22-member squad, the team management have time to include any in-form player (part of IPL 2022 auction) and not necessarily a specialist batter like Roy.