Rajasthan Royals not to be allowed replacements

Rajasthan Royals will not be allowed replacements for Graeme Smith and Dmitri Mascarenhas, who have been ruled out for the rest of the Indian Premier League because of injuries. A top IPL official confirmed to DNA that the struggling former champions cannot avail any replacement at this stage of the tournament.

The Royals said they will soon be getting reinforcements as some of their foreign recruits are on their way to India. According to them, Johan Botha (South Africa off-spinner) and Adam Voges (Australian all-rounder) will be joining the squad in the next few days. Besides, there is ‘immediate backup’ in the form of Damien Martyn and Michael Lumb. The team is also hoping that star all-rounder Shane Watson will be back in time to give a boost to their campaign. The Australian is expected to join the squad by April 2.

“No decision has been made about seeking replacement. We have enough back-up,” Sean Morris, the chief executive of the team, said.

Earlier, an RR spokesman said Smith would return to South Africa after fracturing his finger while taking a catch during Royals’ match against Delhi Daredevils in Ahmedabad on Monday night.

Shane Warne confirmed it in his tweets. “Unfortunately (Graeme) Smith and Dimma (Mascarenhas) are going home due to injury. Big set back for us as they are very good players. Their experience will be hugely missed,” the Royals skipper said.

Smith said he was disappointed. “I have a double fracture in my right middle finger so will be missing the IPL. I hurt it while taking the catch of Sehwag. When I landed, my finger got hooked in the ground,” said Smith.

The team is already without  all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, banned by IPL on disciplinary grounds, while there are doubts over the fitness of Yusuf Pathan, who had a fall during Monday’s game.

Pathan is not certain for the next match. Late in the night, a team spokesman said the Royals are hopeful of Mascarenhas’s recovering for the later stage of the tournament. The team had a poor start to the Season III having lost their first two matches. They take on Royal Challengers Bangalore on Thursday.             
With inputs from agencies