RCB name Kedar Jadhav as replacement for injured David Willey for remainder of IPL 2023

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have named Kedar Jadhav as the replacement for the injured David Willey in their squad for the remainder of the IPL 2023 season, the official IPL website confirmed on Monday (May 1).

The England bowling all-rounder played four matches for RCB this season, picking up three wickets and bowling at an economy rate of 7.

Willey sustained a toe injury in RCB's previous game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) while facing a yorker from Andre Russell.

Jadhav has played 93 IPL matches between 2010 and 2021, scoring 1196 runs at a strike rate of 123.17. He played his last IPL game for Sunrisers Hyderabad in September 2021.

Jadhav was also a part of RCB in the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The middle-order batter played 17 matches and scored 309 runs at a strike rate of 141.74 for them.

The Maharashtra player went unsold in the auction over the last two years. Apart from RCB, Jadhav also played for Delhi Capitals, Chennai Super Kings, SRH and now-defunct Kochi Tuskers Kerala.

Can Kedar Jadhav add impetus to the RCB middle-order?

RCB have won five and lost four out of the nine matches they have played so far this season. They are currently placed sixth in the points table and are scheduled to play four consecutive away games.

Kedar Jadhav could solve the middle-order woes for RCB, given the fact that the team has relied heavily on Virat Kohli, Faf du Plessis and Glenn Maxwell.

Kohli (333), du Plessis (442) and Maxwell (258) have contributed 73% of all runs scored by RCB - 1053 runs out of a total 1365 in IPL 2023 so far.

RCB will next face KL Rahul-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday evening at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.