Himachal Pradesh all-rounder Rishi Dhawan is playing his maiden game in the ongoing season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. He was selected in the Punjab Kings (PBKS) playing XI for the game against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). While he did not get a chance to bat, he came out to bowl in the powerplay itself. However, Rishi Dhawan turned up with a face field, which surprised many.
The 2022 Vijay Hazare Trophy-winning skipper is playing an IPL 2022 match after a huge gap of six years. Rishi was last part of an IPL encounter back in May 2016. Hence, it has been a while since he has taken part in the cash-rich league.
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A lot of fans were left confused when they saw Rishi Dhawan coming out to bowl with a face shield. However, it is because of his recent injury that he has taken extra precautions. In the recent Ranji Trophy, he was hit on his nose on the follow through and had to be taken to a hospital. Hence, to be on the safer side, he has come up with safety measures.
For all those wondering why Rishi Dhawan is wearing a face guard : Rishi Dhawan has a nose injury, he dislocated it when a ball hit him during practice and had to go through a minor surgery. To protect it from any further risk of damage, he is wearing it. #PBKSvCSK
— Roshan Rai 🇮🇳 (@Roshan_Kr_Rai) April 25, 2022
Good on Rishi Dhawan to be wearing a face shield. Was hit on the face by a ball on his follow through during the second round of Ranji Trophy. Had to be taken to hospital for scans.
— Venkata Krishna B (@venkatatweets) April 25, 2022
While it is new for bowlers to put an extra piece of gear on their faces, it may not be a surprise if this becomes a common sight as we go forward. In recent times, the batters have been smashing the ball pretty hard and it is dangerous if the bowler comes in between. We have already seen many injuries occur in this manner.
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Hence, to remain on the safer side, players might decide to have a faceguard to protect them. In fact, the umpires are also in similar danger, although they have more time to react. Even umpires could think of using such a guard in future.
