India and Sunrisers Hyderabad pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar has been ruled out of the 13th edition of the Indian Premier League with a hip injury that he sustained during their win over Chennai Super Kings at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Friday.
Speaking to ANI, sources in the team confirmed that the pacer will have to skip the cash-rich league due to the injury.
"Bhuvi will not be able to take further part in this year's tournament as he has been ruled out with a hip injury. A big blow for sure as he is someone who leads the bowling unit and is also an integral part of the leadership group on the ground," the source said.
Bhuvneshwar suffered the injury and walked off the field in the 19th over. He did try to bowl and had to stop in his stride twice before the physio decided that he needed to walk off and would take further part in the game.
Speaking after the game, skipper David Warner had said that he didn't have much idea on the injury's severity as he was on the field and would have to check with the physio. "I am not too sure, have to speak to the physio, can answer this ques when we have more information," Warner had said in the post-match press conference.
At the toss in the next game against Mumbai Indians on Sunday, Warner had said that it looked like the pacer would miss a couple of games. But the hip injury will see him miss the season as he is also an integral part of India's plans for the series against Australia that follows the IPL.
India play a full series against Australia after this which will see them fight it out in a 4-match Test series, followed by a limited-overs series. While Virat Kohli and boys were initially set to start with a T20I series with an eye on the T20 World Cup, but that plan was dropped as the coronavirus pandemic saw the showpiece event being postponed.
