Great news for the Lucknow Super Giants! Pacer Avesh Khan is all set to rejoin the team for the IPL 2025 after getting the green light from the BCCI. Avesh had been dealing with a knee issue, but he’s received medical clearance this week and will be back with the squad shortly, as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
He has been sidelined since late January, and his last appearance for India was during a T20I match in South Africa last November. He also missed Madhya Pradesh’s last game in the Ranji Trophy because of his knee discomfort, which was likely due to his heavy domestic game schedule. Avesh spent time rehabilitating at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, and he recently wrapped up one of his final fitness tests.
While we don’t have a specific date for when he’ll rejoin the LSG team, he’s expected to be ready in time for their next match against Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 27. The LSG squad will be eager to get back on track after a tough loss to Delhi Capitals in their season opener in Visakhapatnam.
Unfortunately, it’s been a bit of a tough time for LSG with several key Indian bowlers dealing with injuries. Mayank Yadav is already on the mend from a back issue but now has a toe injury to contend with. On top of that, Bengal bowler Akash Deep is still working to get back to 100% after hurting his back on the Test tour in Australia. Adding to the woes, left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan won’t play this season after suffering an ACL tear last December. He’s been replaced in the squad by Shardul Thakur.
After their rough start against Delhi Capitals, LSG’s assistant coach Lance Klusener expressed concern over the lack of bowling depth. He mentioned in the post-match press conference, “Right now, we’re a bit short on reserves with our bowlers, so we’ll need to get creative until we have some players back.” He added that it’s simply part of the game and that the team has to step up with their batting skills against Sunrisers Hyderabad. But he also sees it as a chance for younger players to get their first shot, and he was thrilled for Shardul Thakur, who took two wickets in his first over. It’s definitely a challenging time for LSG, but they’re finding ways to push through and work with what they have.
