IPL 2023: The TATA IPL 2022 saw two new teams join the competition with the eight existing teams. Thus, it saw ten teams fighting for the IPL title. In the end, it was the new franchise Gujarat Titans, led by Hardik Pandya, who won the championship. But it didn’t go well with the two most successful franchises. Both the Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings ended up in the bottom half of the table with only four wins each out of 14 games.
And now all teams are gearing up for the next season in 2023. And to make it more interesting, the BCCI has organized a mini-auction for all IPL teams. Each will get an extra INR 5 crore to pick the players they want and will also have the option to release the players they don’t want. The auction will take place on 23rd December in Kochi. However, big news for IPL fans arrived ahead of the auction.
IPL 2023: Star English Wicket-keeper Batsman to miss the 16th edition of the IPL
Ahead of the auction, some teams have already taken some big decisions to release some of the veteran players. And now the star English wicketkeeper batsman, Sam Billings, has also decided to skip the next edition of the IPL. On Monday, he took to his Twitter account and shared the message that he would not take part in the next season. He also clarified that it is because he wants to focus on the test cricket more as the English test summer will start soon.
Billings was part of the two-time champions, Kolkata Knight Riders in the last season. He also played a few games for them. He played 8 matches and scored 169 runs at an average of 24.14. KKR signed him in the 2022 auction. He tweeted, “Have taken the tough decision that I won’t be taking part in the next IPL @KKRiders. Looking to focus on longer format cricket at the start of the English summer with @kentcricket.”
Billings made his IPL debut for the Delhi Daredevils in 2016. He has also played for Chennai Super Kings in the tournament. The wicketkeeper was part of the Delhi Capitals in 2021 and KKR in 2022. Overall, he has played 30 games and scored 503 runs at an average and strike rate of 19.35 and 129.64, with three half-centuries.
Sam Billings: Test Career
Under Joe Root’s captaincy, Billings didn’t get many chances in test cricket. However, since Ben Stokes and Brendon McCullum joined England as Test captain and head coach, he has been a regular member of the squad. He is also part of the team that will travel to Pakistan for a three-match Test series starting on December 1. Billings has been picked as the back-up wicketkeeper for Ben Foakes in the England team. On the other hand, KKR has already signed Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz for the IPL 2023. Gurbaz can be their wicketkeeper for the upcoming season.