Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have confirmed that the Australian duo of Adam Zampa and Kane Richardson has returned to their country for personal reasons and will not participate in the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 campaign.
‘…Royal Challengers Bangalore management respects their (Zampa and Richardson’s) decision and offers them complete support,’ RCB said in a statement on Twitter.
Zampa first played in IPL with Rising Pune Supergiants (RPS) in 2016. He picked up 12 wickets in his opening season at an average of 9.58. His career-best figure of 6-19 also came in that season, against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). He continued to play for RPS the following year. Despite that, he did not receive a contract in 2018 or 2019.
RCB brought in Zampa in place of Richardson last season. This time, he did not have a fruitful campaign, with two wickets at an average of 46. In the ongoing season, Zampa has not featured in Playing XI.
Richardson has been a part of IPL since 2013, with the Pune Warriors, followed by Rajasthan Royals (RR) and then RCB, but has never played regularly for any side. He has 19 IPL wickets overall, averaging 24.84, with best figures of 3-13. He played one match this year, against his former side RR, and had figures of 3-0-29-1.
Three Australians have now flown back home during IPL 2021. Andrew Tye of Rajasthan Royals was the first. RCB are now reduced to six overseas cricketers: AB de Villiers, Glenn Maxwell, Kyle Jamieson, Dan Christian, Daniel Sams and Finn Allen.
RCB are currently at third place in the points table, behind Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Delhi Capitals (DC). They have won four out of five matches so far. Virat Kohli & co. will lock horns with DC next in Match 22 of the IPL 2021 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.