Jason Behrendorff injury opens door for England quick at Mumbai Indians

Replacement will fill the void left by left-armer Behrendorff, who has been ruled out through injury

Nick Friend | 18/03/2024 at 15:23

England left-armer Luke Wood has signed for Mumbai Indians as an injury replacement.

He will fill the void left by fellow left-armer Jason Behrendorff, after the Australian impressed in 2023.

Only Piyush Chawla took more wickets for Mumbai last season than the 33-year-old, who rejoined the franchise ahead of 2023 via a trade from Royal Challengers Bangalore after a previous stint between 2018 and 2020.

Wood, who has played five T20Is and two ODIs for England, is an IPL first-timer. His signing comes on the back of a busy winter for the 28-year-old, who has been representing Peshawar Zalmi at the Pakistan Super League.

behrendorff180301

^{Jason Behrendorff has been ruled out through injury (Indranil Mukherjee/AFP via Getty Images)}

Earlier this winter, he turned out for Desert Vipers in the ILT20 and then briefly for Khulna Tigers in the Bangladesh Premier League, with his left-arm pace an appealing combination for franchises around the world.

It means that Lancashire won't see Wood until the T20 Blast, with the IPL running until May 26.

Join The Cricketer's brand new Whatsapp channel for the latest breaking news, comment and features - click here to become a member