Kolkata Knight Riders have added Johnson Charles as a replacement player for Litton Das for the remainder of the Indian Premier League.
The two-time T20 World Cup winner with West Indies arrives after Bangladesh international Das was forced to leave the KKR camp earlier this month due to a family emergency.
He has subsequently been called up to play for his country in the upcoming one-day international series against Ireland.
In the only match that the right-handed keeper-batter played this year against the Delhi Capitals, he registered just four runs and had a forgettable outing behind the stumps, missing two stumping opportunities as KKR were beaten by four wickets.
“Litton Das has had to return to Bangladesh earlier today (Friday 28 April) due to an urgent family medical emergency. Our wishes go out to him and his family to make it through this difficult time,” KKR stated.
Johnson Charles has represented the Windies in 41 T20Is, scoring 971 runs and was a part of their 2012 and 2016 T20 World Cup-winning squads. In total, he has played 224 T20s and has over 5,600 runs to his name.
The 34-year-old recently returned to international cricket after a six-year absence and scored a century off just 39 balls against South Africa in March.
KKR has struggled for stability at the top of their batting order this season, going through six opening combinations in nine games.
Johnson Charles’ ability to bat in the middle order could also come in handy, especially since two other players, Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Jason Roy, present an attractive package as opening batters.
Johnson Charles has been brought in for INR 50 lakh and it will be hoped that in his maiden IPL stint his experience and skill can help them overcome their batting woes and secure a place in the playoffs.
Sunrisers Hyderabad will play KKR on Thursday night. However, Charles won’t be able to attend this game because his arrival date hasn’t been set in stone yet.