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England batter Joe Root will not be taking any further participation in the IPL, it was confirmed on Saturday. The news comes ahead of the IPL 2024 retention deadline that is set to create quite a stir in the world of T20 cricket on Sunday.
Root, one of the most decorated international cricketers for England, made his foray into the IPL set-up last season when the Royals picked him at the 2023 mini-auction. He made his IPL debut in the 2023 edition, playing 3 matches for the franchise.
Kumar Sangakkara, Royals’ Director of Cricket, said, “During our retention conversations, Joe informed us of his decision to not take part in IPL 2024. Even in a short span of time, Joe was able to create such a positive impact on the franchise and the players around him. His energy around the group and the experience he brought to the Royals will be missed. We respect his decision totally and wish him success in everything he does.”
The 32-year-old's addition to the Royals squad brought in plenty of depth and experience, which served as a learning experience for a lot of youngsters in the side like Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Yashasvi Jaiswal in the team. His camaraderie with his England teammate Joe Root and his bonding with Yuzvendra Chahal was also one of the memorable highlights of the former England Test skipper's stint with the Royals.
(With inputs from press release)