NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – Royal Challengers Bangalore have signed New Zealand bowling all-rounder Scott Kuggeleijn to replace Kane Richardson who left the ongoing Indian Premier League citing personal reasons, the IPL franchise said yesterday.
Bangalore’s duo of Richardson and fellow Australian Adam Zampa left on Monday even as the Twenty20 league continues amid the COVID-19 crisis in India.
Kuggeleijn, who has played two one-day and 16 Twenty20 Internationals for New Zealand, has been a reserve bowler for defending champions Mumbai Indians.
“Scott was part of the Mumbai Indians squad as a net bowler in Delhi and RCB arranged for a bubble-to-bubble transfer on April 27,” table-topper Bangalore said in a statement.
“He has now joined the RCB bio-bubble in Ahmedabad after testing negative on his arrival, adhering to IPL protocols.”
The IPL will continue as scheduled, a senior Indian cricket board official told Reuters on Wednesday, despite fierce criticism of the popular competition being played in the midst of a national health crisis.