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Rishabh Pant's LSG And...? 3 IPL 2025 Teams That Can Sign Matt Henry As Replacement Player

Soumyajit Dutta

Matt Henry and Rishabh Pant [Source: @Tucha_Moeketsi/X.com and AP Photos]Matt Henry and Rishabh Pant [Source: @Tucha_Moeketsi/X.com and AP Photos]

New Zealand speedster Matt Henry delivered a masterclass in seam bowling during the ICC Champions Trophy clash against India, dismantling the star-studded batting lineup with a sensational five-wicket haul (5/42). 

The right-arm pacer struck early, trapping the top and middle order of India. Moreover, Matt Henry’s ability to exploit movement off the pitch and target the stumps left India reeling in the match. 

Notably,  being the promising talent he was from the start, he had tough luck in the IPL mega auction and the 33-year-old shockingly went unsold. Henry’s absence from the IPL is puzzling, given his proven ability to thrive in high-pressure games.

Nevertheless, his Champions Trophy heroics, coupled with 178 T20 wickets at an economy of 8.29, make him a steal for franchises grappling with injuries or inconsistent pace attacks. 

1. Lucknow Super Giants 

  • LSG’s pace unit lacks a seasoned overseas spearhead. While Mayank Yadav, Akash Deep and Avesh Khan offer firepower, their overseas pace attack of Mitchell Marsh might be absent given he was ruled out of the Champions Trophy due to injury.
  • Shamar Joseph, their only overseas pacer, remains raw and unexperienced and might spend most of the matches on the bench with LSG utilising other key players over him.
  • Moreover, Henry's ability to swing the new ball and bowl tight in the middle overs would complement Mohsin Khan and Avesh. Marsh’s potential exit, therefore, opens a slot for Henry which might see him spearhead LSG's pace attack.

2. Kolkata Knight Riders

  • KKR’s INR 6.5 Cr gamble on Anrich Nortje backfired, with the South African being ruled out of the Champions Trophy and SA20 league with a back injury. With the severity of the injury, things do not look good for the player and KKR can rope Henry in as his replacement.
  • KKR's pace attack, led by Harshit Rana, Vaibhav Arora, and Spencer Johnson, is decent however, Henry's experience and form can add the fire to the skill.
  • Despite KKR exhausting their overseas slots, Nortje’s injury could prompt a swap. Also, Henry’s stump-to-stump accuracy and knack for breaking partnerships would alleviate pressure on Sunil Narine and Varun Chakravarthy.

3. Rajasthan Royals

  • Rajasthan Royals' INR 12.5 crore signing of Jofra Archer remains a gamble, given his persistent injuries. Beyond him, Sandeep Sharma and Tushar Deshpande lack express pace, with only Fazalhaq Farooqi in decent form.
  • Henry’s ability to bowl economical powerplay spells would pair well with Trent Boult’s absence and Archer’s fragility. Notably, Henry has an impressive T20 powerplay economy rate of 7.59 and a strong dismissal rate of 58.65%
  • Hence, Henry's recent form and Rajasthan's lack of a strong overseas pacer can prompt the franchise to rope him in as a pace spearhead for their team.