IPL 2025 | Jofra Archer and Maheesh Theekshana to miss Rajasthan Royals’ remaining games with injury

‌England pacer Jofra Archer will miss the remainder of IPL 2025 as he is yet to fully recover from a thumb injury he picked up during Rajasthan Royals’ one-run defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders on May 4. Archer becomes the third English player, behind the Chennai Super Kings pair of Jamie Overton and Sam Curran, to confirm his unavailability as the tournament resumes on Saturday after being suspended initially due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan.

The Royals will also miss the services of Sri Lankan spinner Maheesh Theekshana for their remaining two games as he is reported to be recovering from a niggle. That will take the Royals’ foreign player count to five with pacers Fazalhaq Farooqi and Kwena Maphaka along with spinner Wanindu Hasaranga, Shimron Hetmyer and Lhuan-dre Pretorius available for the remaining matches.

The Royals are currently ninth in the IPL 2025 points table with six points from 12 games and are out of contention to make the playoffs this season. Chennai Super Kings are also in the same boat, placed last in the table, with their playoff dreams long gone. With the remaining fixtures of both teams being rendered inconsequential, they are yet to name replacements for the overseas players who have pulled out.

The IPL, in a memo to all teams yesterday, had informed that teams will be allowed to make temporary replacements for this season keeping in mind the withdrawal of foreign players. However, the teams will not be able to retain the temporary replacement players, who are named after the tournament’s initial suspension, beyond this season and will have to release them to the auction pool ahead of IPL 2026.