IPL 2018: 5 possible replacements for KKR pacer Mitchell Starc

Kolkata Knight Riders have received yet another injury blow as fast bowler Mitchell Starc has been ruled out of the 2018 IPL after suffering a tibial bone stress in his right leg during the ongoing Test series against Australia.

The left-arm seamer was bought by the Shah Rukh Khan-owned team for INR 9.4 crore in the 2018 IPL auction and the team's plan for the upcoming tournament would have revolved around the New South Wales pacer. The injury to him would surely have dashed all their hopes and the team management will now have to look for a replacement.

Here are five players who can replace the Aussie superstar in the KKR squad for IPL 2018:

Adam Milne

New Zealand pacer Adam Milne was the talk of the town when he made his international debut as his ability to bowl at breathtaking pace attracted a lot of eyeballs. He was drafted into the New Zealand side for the 2015 World Cup and played all the matches for the Kiwis in that tournament.

His brilliant performances in T20s landed him an IPL contract with Royal Challengers Bangalore ahead of the 2016 IPL. He didn't have a good time in the five matches he managed to play in the IPL but his T20 numbers speak volumes of his ability. In the 70 T20 matches he has played, he has scalped 83 wickets at an average of 23.21 and an economy of 7.77.

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Tymal Mills

Tymal Mills

Ahead of the 2017 IPL auction, a lot of buzz surrounded England pacer Tymal Mills as he impressed everyone with some brilliant performances for the Poms and his county Sussex. When he was bought by Royal Challengers Bangalore for a whopping 12 crores, a lot was expected of him.

But, he couldn't live up to the hype and was smashed all over the park during the 2017 IPL after which RCB decided against retaining him ahead of the 2018 IPL auction, in which he went unsold. He is still a good bowler with a lot of variations up his sleeve and can be the ideal replacement for the Australian quick.

Tom Curran

Tom Curran

England pacer Tom Curran has grown by leaps and bounds as an international bowler and has made himself a strong contender for a place in the English playing XI for the 2019 World Cup. Curran, who made his T20I debut for England last year, has been maturing as a bowler since then and is one of the best death bowlers around in the English national team.

In the recently-concluded series against New Zealand and Australia, Tom showed what he is capable of. He can take wickets with the new ball and threaten with the old ball too. He has developed a deadly yorker capable of troubling the best of batsmen.

He is still raw but is definitely one for the future.

Kesrick Williams

Kesrick Williams

Not long ago, Kesrick Williams was one of the best T20I pacers in the world. The Jamaican has been Windies' go-to bowler in the format for a while and has repaid the faith his skipper Carlos Brathwaite has shown in him by delivering some consistent performances for his country.

He is good with the new ball and at the death, where he brings all his variations into play. In the 12 T20Is he has played so far, he has taken 21 wickets at an average of 14.7 and an economy of 7.65. He might go for a few runs but he can make up for it by scalping wickets at regular intervals.

Williams gives the KKR skipper Dinesh Karthik a good death bowling option and the former champions should try to get him in as Starc's replacement.

Junior Dala

Junior Dala

Before India's three-match T20I series against South Africa earlier this year, Junior Dala was just another promising fast bowler in the South African domestic circuit. But, that series was the turning point in his career as he put in some impressive performances with the ball.

In the three matches he played, he accounted for seven wickets at an average of 15.7. He took a particular liking to Rohit Sharma, as he dismissed the Indian opener in all three matches of the series. He was also one of the main reasons why the Proteas managed to win the second T20I in Johannesburg.

He was unsold in the 2018 IPL auction and getting him in as a replacement for the Aussie pacer Starc will give Kolkata Knight Riders a big boost going into the tournament.