Ferguson pulled up before delivering the third ball of his spell and was seen holding his left leg below the hip.
Punjab Kings’ premium pacer Lockie Ferguson suffered an injury while bowling against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday. He pulled up before delivering the third ball of his spell and was seen holding his left leg below the hip. Unfortunately, he didn’t return to bowl again in the game, confirming the injury was serious.
As feared by the PBKS’ management, the injury was significant as the franchise’s fast-bowling coach James Hopes more or less confirmed on Monday that the Kiwi speedster was out of IPL 2025.
However, they must opt for replacement if the injury is severe enough to rule him out of the tournament. Most IPL teams have already taken quality players, while others are occupied playing the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 2025.
Hence, the player pool is not vast, but a few quality options are still available. We look at three players that PBKS can sign as a replacement for Lockie Ferguson.
Richard Gleeson might be a perfect replacement pick for the Punjab Kings. He is close to Ferguson in terms of skillset and role. Gleeson has the pace and can bowl hard lengths consistently, making him an ideal enforcer.
He had a superb SA20 2025, snaring 14 wickets at an average of 24.42 and an 8.07 economy rate in 13 innings. Even in other T20 tournaments, Gleeson has done reasonably well. Previously, he played for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2024, featuring in two games.
His death-over credentials are strong due to his solid control over his variations and yorkers. Gleeson can replicate what Ferguson can do with the ball with consistent opportunities. If the need arises, he should be PBKS’ first-choice player as a replacement.
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Ottneil Baartman is another player who earned a name with sparkling performances in the SA20 league. While playing for Sunrisers Eastern Cape, he became a consistent wicket-taker across phases. That also earned him a spot in the national team.
Baartman is a skiddy pacer who mostly zooms on the stumps and rushes batters with his pace. He is exceptional in the powerplay and can do a decent job in death overs. He also has a few deceiving slower balls to remain unpredictable.
So, PBKS can use Yash Thakur in the middle overs while lining a few overs of Baartman at the start and the end. That will be the best way to use Baartman if signed. He is a genuine wicket-taker and brings breakthroughs almost every time.
Lance Morris is another like-for-like replacement for Lockie Ferguson. He is among the quickest bowlers in Australian cricket. He knows how to bowl heavy balls at a high pace to cramp batters, meaning he can be an enforcer in the middle overs.
He has done well in the Big Bash League and can replicate it in the IPL. He can lack control but can improve in this aspect by working with IPL coaches. That he can bowl at a high pace is a good base to work with, even though pace can backfire sometimes.
He has 40 wickets at an average of 22.95, including a five-wicket haul, in 35 T20 innings. He has yet to make his T20I debut, but since PBKS have Ricky Ponting at the helm, Morris’ inclusion can’t be ruled out. He can be an exciting pick.
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