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The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have signed Shamar Joseph as an injury replacement for Mark Wood ahead of IPL 2024. The English pacer's workload is reportedly being managed by the ECB, who want him to be fully fit for the 2024 T20 World Cup.
Shamar Joseph recently made headlines for his Player of the Series performance in the two-match Test series against Australia. The 24-year-old picked up 13 wickets in total, including a fifer in the first innings of the Adelaide Test and a match-winning seven-wicket haul at the Gabba.
It is a testament to Joseph's instant impact for the West Indies that he has been chosen as an injury replacement in IPL 2024. However, in this article, we will dive into a few reasons why this may be the wrong move.
#1 Shamar Joseph is still very raw and inexperienced
Although Shamar Joseph won Player of the Match and Player of the Series awards down under, he is still very inexperienced. This was his debut Test series, which means he has played just two Test matches. Moreover, he hasn't made his white-ball debut for the West Indies.
The Guyanese pacer has just played two T20 games, conceding 72 runs in eight overs and going wicketless in both outings. His economy rate of 9 and the limited sample size are a worry, as he will be bowling in India for the first time.
#2 His bowling style isn't tailor-made for the Lucknow pitch
Shamar Joseph is a relentless pacer who can clock 145 kmph with ease. His ability to control the seam and bowl wicket-to-wicket was on full display in Australian conditions. However, bowling at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow is a whole different affair.
The Lucknow pitch is known to be one of the slowest pitches in the IPL, which assists spin bowlers and pacers who have a lot of variations. Joseph's raw pace will not be as effective in Lucknow as it was in Adelaide or Brisbane.
There will be too much pressure on the youngster to adapt to the Lucknow pitch, where LSG will play half their matches in IPL 2024. Opting for a more experienced pacer who is known for his variations would have been a smarter Mark Wood replacement.
#3 LSG's pace-bowling unit lacks a leader
LSG have a sorted spin-bowling department, with Ravi Bishnoi playing the role of the wicket-taking spinner and Krunal Pandya helping to stop the run flow. However, their pace battery has weakened significantly since IPL 2023.
Avesh Khan was involved in the trade deal that saw him go to the Rajasthan Royals in exchange for Devdutt Padikkal. Mohsin Khan, Yash Thakur and Shivam Mavi are all India hopefuls at this stage of their careers, while Avesh has already played eight ODIs and 20 T20Is for India.
After Mark Wood's withdrawal, LSG will be left with the option of fielding either Shamar Joseph or Naveen-ul-Haq as their overseas seam bowler. Hence, no matter which three pacers LSG decide to play with, they will miss a spearhead, which could cost them in IPL 2024.
