Two-time Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Kolkata Knight Riders have signed up England opener Jason Roy for Rs 2.8 crore for the IPL 2023 season, from his base price of Rs 1.5 crore. KKR have lost the services of their skipper Shreyas Iyer due to lower-back injury and Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib al Hasan has also pulled out of the league.

“Shreyas Iyer has been ruled out of the tournament while Bangladesh all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has confirmed his unavailability for the season,” an IPL statement read on Wednesday.

Roy, who earlier featured in the 2017 and 2018 seasons, last played in the 2021 season for Sunrisers Hyderabad. In 2021, he played five games, scoring 150 runs, including a half-century. The 32-year-old has played 64 T20Is for England, scoring 1522 runs at a S/R of 137.61 with 8 fifties.

(More to come)