Punjab Kings opener Jonny Bairstow likely to miss IPL 2023 to focus on home Ashes series

Punjab Kings opener Jonny Bairstow is likely to miss the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season to focus on the Ashes series against Australia at home later this year, according to reports.

PBKS spent a whopping ₹6.25 crore to acquire Bairstow's services at the IPL 2022 auction. The Englishman scored 253 runs from 11 T20s in his debut IPL season for the Punjab-based franchise at an average of 23 with two half-centuries.

Bairstow is currently recovering from a leg injury which he suffered last summer and missed the entire winter season of cricket. He hasn't played any cricket since August, 2022.

Bairstow on the road to recovery

He wasn't part of England's T20 World Cup-winning team in Australia last year and also missed the Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand this year after sustaining multiple fractures, a dislocated ankle and ligament damage from a freak slip on the golf course in September.

The 33-year-old underwent successful surgery on his left leg – including the insertion of a metal plate – and has made encouraging progress.

He returned to indoor training last month and has also started to bat in the nets.

But it seems that Bairstow still won't be able to be fit in time for IPL 2023 which starts from March 31 in India.

The Ashes will be played in England this year from June 16 to July 31. Bairstow is expected to return to playing for Yorkshire and look to regain his form and fitness before the five-Test series against Australia.