New Delhi: Prolific England batter Jonny Bairstow will miss the entire Indian Premier League (IPL) this year as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) refused to grant him a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play in the high-profile T20 league beginning March 31, according to a report.
The 33-year-old Bairstow is recovering from a leg injury he sustained in September last year.
The ECB, however, cleared all-rounder Liam Livingstone, who is coming back after recovering from his knee and ankle injuries, to play in the IPL.
Punjab Kings had bought Livingstone and Bairstow for Rs 11.5 crore and Rs 6.75 crore respectively during the IPL auction.
"Punjab Kings have some bittersweet news as ECB has cleared Liam Livingstone for participation in the upcoming IPL but has stopped Jonny Bairstow from taking part," a report in cricbuzz said on Thursday.
"...given the long injury lay-off, the ECB has decided not to issue him (Bairstow) the NOC for the season, which kicks off on March 31."
Bairstow missed England's T20 World Cup-winning campaign and Test tours of Pakistan and New Zealand after sustaining multiple fractures following a freak slip on the golf course in September, 2022.
Bairstow, who underwent surgery on his his broken leg and dislocated ankle in October last, is expected to be up and running in a couple of weeks' times, according to the report.
The 29-year-old Livingstone too had a stop-start season in 2022 after hurting his ankle during the Hundred tournament in the UK. He has been out of action since the Rawalpindi Test last December because of injuries.
He was part of the Lancashire County Cricket Club's off-season training recently in Dubai.
The report also said that Sam Curran, who was the most expensive buy at the IPL auction earlier this year, will be available for Punjab Kings, who splurged Rs 18.5 crore for the fast bowling all-rounder.