IPL 2021: Rajasthan Royals complete replacement player signing, draft in Evin Lewis, Oshane Thomas

Dubai, August 31: Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Rajasthan Royals announced the final set of their replacement players ahead the second phase of the IPL 2021.

West Indian duo of Evin Lewis and Oshane Thomas will be joining the Royals squad as replacement players for the remainder of IPL 2021 to be held in the UAE from September 19.

Left-handed opening batter from Trinidad and Tobago, Evin Lewis will be a replacement for Jos Buttler. The 29-year-old Lewis had made his debut for West Indies during their 2016 World T20 campaign in India, and has 1318 runs to his name in 45 T20Is, at a strike rate of 158.

The flamboyant batter has also scored 1847 runs for West Indies in 57 ODIs. His blistering performances for the national side also led him to being picked up by the Mumbai Indians in 2018, for whom he scored 430 runs in 16 matches across 2018 and 2019 seasons.

Jamaican right-arm pace bowler, Oshane Thomas who is currently playing for the Barbados Royals in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL 2021) will be joining as a replacement for Ben Stokes in the Royals' set-up.
The 24-year-old Oshane Thomas had made his international debut in 2018, having faced India in a bilateral ODI and T20I series.

Since then, Thomas, a recipient of West Indies' Emerging Player of the Year Award in 2019, has picked up 27 wickets in 20 ODIs, and 19 wickets in 17 T20Is. In the IPL, the fiery bowler has represented the Royals in 2019, picking up five wickets in four matches, and was with the franchise during the 2020 season in the UAE as well.

But Thomas was released ahead of the IPL auction that was held in December last year. Now, he has chance to impress the Royal management and earn a retention place ahead of the IPL mega auction that could be held later in December this year.