IPL 2021: Delhi Capitals draft in net bowler Kulwant Khejroliya as injured M Siddharth replacement

Dubai, September 16: Delhi Capitals has drafted in left-arm pacer Kulwant Khejroliya as replacement for injured left-arm orthodox bowler Manimaran Siddharth for the second half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021.

The 23-year-old spinner suffered a quadriceps strain during training in Dubai and was ruled out for the IPL 2021 resumption, forcing Delhi Capitals to bring in Khejroliya as Siddharth's replacement for the remainder of the season.

The Delhi Capitals support staff is currently looking at Manimaran Siddharth's rehabilitation programme in Dubai. He will be heading back to India in a few days where he will continue to undergo rehabilitation, as per Delhi Capitals official media release.

🚨 SQUAD UPDATE 🚨

Left-arm pacer @KKhejroliya, who was already a part of the DC bio-bubble as a net bowler, joins the roster for the remainder of #IPL2021 as @Siddharth_M03's replacement.

Official Statement 👉🏼 https://t.co/ZSH8HxiZVP#YehHaiNayiDilli pic.twitter.com/0zdh7PLfR5

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) September 15, 2021

As far as Khejroliya is concerned, the left-arm pacer was already part of the Delhi Capitals team bio-bubble as a net bowler. So, there will be no time lost in quarantine.

IPL 2021: Delhi Capitals rope in Australia seamer Ben Dwarshuis as Chris Woakes' replacement

The 29-year-old, who has taken 17 wickets in 15 T20 matches at an average of 23.29, represented Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL 2018 and IPL 2019 seasons, taking 3 wickets in 5 IPL matches.

Khejroliya became the second player to be brought in as a replacement by the Delhi franchise after Australia bowler Ben Dwarshuis replaced Chris Woakes earlier in the week.

The England all-rounder Woakes withdrew from the IPL 2021 second phase along with compatriots Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan last week with an eye on the upcoming T20 World Cup and the Ashes.

IPL 2021: Delhi Capitals' pacers Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Ben Dwarshuis arrive in UAE

Earlier on Wednesday (September 15), Delhi Capitals' South African pace Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje as well as Dwarshuis from Australia arrived at the team hotel in Dubai.

All players were tested for COVID-19 upon arrival. Dwarshuis will be in quarantine for 6 days while the South African players have entered the Delhi Capitals bio-bubble directly from the bio-bubble set up for the recently-concluded ODI and T20I series in Sri Lanka.

The Delhi Capitals, who are currently top of the IPL 2021 table, will start their second phase campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai on September 22.

(With Agency inputs)