IPL 2021: Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman Jason Roy arrives in Chennai

English batsman Jason Roy has reached Chennai to join the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) squad for the 14th IPL season. Jason Roy went unsold at the IPL 2021 mini-auction earlier this year. However, the 30-year-old was brought in by SRH as Mitchell Marsh's replacement. The batsman will now serve a mandatory seven-day quarantine period before catching up with the rest of the SRH squad. The 2016 IPL winners obtained Jason Roy's services at his base price of Rs 2 Crore. 

Mitchell Marsh was one of the players retained by Hyderabad ahead of the IPL 2021 season. However, the Australian all-rounder decided to opt-out of the competition, citing bio-bubble fatigue. Sunrisers Hyderabad then dipped into the list of unsold cricketers from the last auction and selected Jason Roy as his replacement. Jason Roy was part of England's squad in the just-concluded five-match T20I series against Virat Kohli & Co. The opening batsman scored 144 runs in five games at an average of 28.80, while his strike rate was 132.11. 

SRH to play its first game against KKR on 11th April

IPL 2021 is going to be Jason Roy's third season. He has earlier represented Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) in 2018 and Gujarat Lions back in the year 2017. However, the 30-year-old only managed to play eight games throughout two seasons. Roy's best performance in the IPL came against the Mumbai Indians. He slammed an unbeaten 91 while playing for the Delhi-based franchise in 2018.

For the first time in the Indian Premier League, all eight teams will be playing their matches at neutral venues. The David Warner-led team is prepared to play its opening game at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, against Kolkata Knight Riders. Given the limit of four overseas cricketers in the teams, Jason Roy's inclusion in the playing XI seems unlikely. The franchise boasts of a pile of overseas players in Warner, Bairstow, Kane Williamson, Jason Holder, Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman, and Mohammad Nabi. Although SRH has roped in Jason Roy comes, Bairstow and Warner, one of the most lethal opening combinations in the IPL history, will always be the first choice.

SRH is one of the most consistent performers in the Indian Premier League. They have qualified into IPL Playoffs for the last five years consecutively. However, they have managed to win the title just once, in 2016. With some new recruits on their side, they would want to go a step further than just qualifying for the sixth time.

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