IPL 2022: Shimron Hetmyer rejoins Rajasthan Royals bubble, to be available for CSK clash

Rajasthan Royals’ stylish batter Shimron Hetmyer has returned to the camp and is likely to be available for the team’s final match of the IPL 2022 league stage, scheduled on May 20 against the Chennai Super Kings. Hetmyer had left the bio-bubble for the birth of his first child.

His last game for the Royals was against the Punjab Kings, and it was because of his finishing touches that his side won the game. He has been a vital part of the team from the start of this season and scored a magnificent 31*(16) against PBKS as RR finished off the chase successfully. The Royals had an amazing run this season and the all-around performance by their players has made them the contenders for the playoffs.

Hetmyer was roped in by the Rajasthan Royals for a sum of INR 8.5 crore and has been a backbone of the side this year. His role as a finisher has proved to be very important for the side as he has hammered 291 runs at an average of 72.75 while going unbeaten in seven of his 11 IPL innings.

Shimron Hetmyer opts out of West Indies’ upcoming international tours

The Nicholas Pooran-led West Indies will be touring Netherlands and Pakistan after the completion of the IPL, but Hetmyer has opted out of the series owing to the birth of his baby boy. The prolific batter had informed his team’s selection panel that he would be returning for the IPL, but will not be participating in the upcoming international tours.

“We got the email from Hetty saying that he is unavailable for selection because of the birth of his child. That is all the information we received so we acted that way; we had considered him for selection and the note stated he was unavailable,” said selector Desmond Haynes.

Hetmyer was in and out of the national side because of his fitness issues. The team’s head coach Phil Simons had also expressed concerns over his fitness and said that it was heart-breaking to see a player like Hetmyer to miss out from the national side after not being able to meet up to the mandatory fitness standards. But he put up a great show in the IPL 2022, which also came as a sigh of relief for the selectors to consider him in the squad.