Kuldip Yadav and Richard Gleeson named injury replacements for Khaleel Ahmed and Nuwan Thushara
The IPL season is in full swing, and teams are constantly being forced to change their lineups. Recently, news broke: Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru announced this event. Kuldip Yadav and Richard Gleeson named injury replacements for Khaleel Ahmed and Nuwan Thushara.
Kuldip Yadav and Richard Gleeson named injury replacements for Khaleel Ahmed and Nuwan Thushara: CSK
Kuldeep Yadav is a left-handed middle pacer whose IPL career hasn’t been replete with major titles yet. He made his debut for Rajasthan Royals in 2021, playing three matches then. Since then, his name has rarely appeared in the headlines. And now, an unexpected opportunity: Kuldip Yadav and Richard Gleeson named injury replacements for Khaleel Ahmed and Nuwan Thushara. The contract with Chennai Super Kings was signed for a sum of 30 lakh (that’s around 3 million INR).
Khalel Ahmed played five games for Chennai this season before suffering a quadriceps injury. A month ago he was finally excluded from the team. Injuries are unfortunate events, and no one is immune. It’s hard to say whether Khalel would have been able to finish the season, but the fact remains: the team urgently needed a new player.
Kuldip Yadav and Richard Gleeson named injury replacements for Khaleel Ahmed and Nuwan Thushara: RCB
Now about the second loud transfer. Richard Gleeson is an English fast bowler whom Indian fans have seen before. In 2024, he played for CSK (two matches), and in 2025, for Mumbai Indians (one match). Experience, although not huge, is still there. Gleeson played six T20I matches for England, taking nine wickets.
They had to pay a higher price for him: Royal Challengers Bengaluru paid 1.6 crore (16 million INR). This is more than five times more than for Yadav. Why is there such a difference? This is due to his foreign status, international experience, and previous performances in the IPL. In the end, the market dictates its own rules. Gleeson will replace Nuwan Tushar at RCB. The IPL’s official release is silent on the nature of the athlete’s injury, stating only that he is out for the rest of the season.
But Gleeson at least has an advantage: he’s already adapted to the IPL conditions. He’s played against the best and knows the heat of Chennai and the roar of Mumbai. Now Bangalore awaits him with its high speed and short boundaries. It will be interesting to see how the English pacer adapts to the new conditions.
Meanwhile, CSK appears to be banking on budget squad depth. Thirty lakh for a player who might play a couple of matches—or none at all. Such risks are understandable: the budget is not unlimited. Moreover, the CSK head coach is known for his ability to turn hypothetical substitutes into the heroes of the episode. To be fair, none of the new players are true “season-saving” stars.
Such transfers rarely generate thousands of discussions, but it’s precisely on these people that the tournament’s framework rests. When the main players drop out, the substitutes come in. Sometimes, just to finish the match. Sometimes, it’s to create their own little miracle.
Who knows, maybe in the next game Gleeson will assemble a couple of wickets top-batsmen, and Kuldeep will surprise with his accuracy at the start. Or maybe both will remain in reserve. In any case, the fact remains: the IPL has made an official announcement, Kuldip Yadav and Richard Gleeson named injury replacements for Khaleel Ahmed and Nuwan Thushara. Contracts have been signed. Names have been added to the lists. All that remains is to wait for the matches and see what happens.
