IPL 2022: Alex Hales opts out of KKR; Aaron Finch brought in as replacement

Alex Hales will not be playing IPL 2022 with Kolkata Knight Riders after opting out due to bubble fatigue. KKR has roped in Aaron Finch as his replacement.

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 is just a couple of weeks away. Meanwhile, former two-time champion Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has received a setback after English opener Alex Hales has opted out of the season due to "bubble fatigue and his mental well-being". However, the franchise was quick to rope in Australian limited-overs skipper Aaron Finch as his replacement.

Hales sent out a lengthy note on his social media handles to explain his decision. This season, he was roped in by KKR during the IPL 2022 Mega Auction for his base price of ₹1.5 crore, which would have been his second stint in the tournament, having played for former champion SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) in 2018. Meanwhile, Finch has been signed in for the same fee as his replacement, just for this season.

Following the same, KKR CEO and Managing Director Venky Mysore said, "We respect Alex Hales' decision of choosing family and mental well-being over his participation in the upcoming season of the IPL. Bubble-life isn't easy, and many players worldwide have shared their views on this topic. We will miss having him in the Galaxy of Knights this season, but we wish him all the best."

"We are delighted to welcome Aaron Finch, the T20 World Cup-winning captain, to the Knight Riders family. He is excited about joining the rest of the KKR squad in Mumbai, and we look forward to benefiting from his vast experience," Mysore added. On the other hand, it would be the ninth franchise for the 35-year-old Finch in the IPL. His numbers in the competition are great, scoring 2005 runs in 85 innings at an average of 25.38n and a trike rate of 127.71, including 14 half-centuries.