IPL 2018: Heinrich Klassen joins Rajasthan Royals as replacement for Steve Smith

Rajasthan Royals have replaced Steve Smith for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL), replacing South African wicket-keeper batsman Heinrich Klassen. Smith had to leave the captaincy of Rajasthan Royals last week because he was found guilty in the Ball Tempting controversy in Cape Town Test against South Africa. Because of this, Cricket Australia has imposed a one-year ban on them. Smith had to be out of the IPL due to the ban. The Board of Control for Cricket in India issued a press release on Monday confirming that 26-year-old Klassen has bought the base price for Rs 50 lakh. Klassen will be a part of IPL for the first time. Klassen has played 49 T20 matches so far, in which he scored 1043 runs with the help of six half-centuries. During this time he made 28 catches and 12 stumpings.

Klassen made his debut in T20 International against India and became Man of the Match in his second match. He played 69 runs innings of just 30 balls in this match. South Africa achieved the target of 188 with eight balls remaining, with the help of Klassen’s innings. Remember that Ajinkya Rahane has been replaced as captain of Rajasthan Royals in the 11th edition of IPL. The Head Coach of the Rajasthan Royals Zubin Barucha wanted to replace Smith with South Africa’s Klassen with his team. Although, before Klassen, England’s batsman Joe Root and South African batsman Hashim Amla were also considered in the name, but everyone’s agreement was made on the wicketkeeper-batsman Klassen.

Having found Steve Smith involved in the incident of ball-tampering, Cricket Australia put a one-year ban on him. After this, both Smith and Warner were not allowed to play in the IPL this time. Although both Smith and Warner had already left the captaincy of their own IPL teams. After which Hyderabad team included England’s opening batsman Alex Hales in place of Warner, and now the Rajasthan team has purchased Klassen as a replacement for Smith. After leaving Smith, Ajinkya Rahane has been given the responsibility of the captaincy of Rajasthan’s squad.