The lowdown on Jhye Richardson, the latest millionaire in the Punjab Kings ranks
All you need to know about the Australian quick, who was signed by Punjab Kings for INR 14 crore at the IPL 2021 auction
Jhye Richardson was the BBL's leading wicket-taker in the 2020-21 season, with 29 scalps while returning an economy rate of 7.69 • Cricket Australia via Getty Images
Richardson hails from Perth in Western Australia and despite his small frame he developed a reputation for producing express pace as a teenager when playing for Fremantle Cricket Club, the home of the Marsh brothers, Shaun and Mitchell, and Ashton Turner. He made his List A and first-class debuts at 19 for Western Australia and played one game in the BBL in 2015-16 for the Perth Scorchers. But he announced himself the following season when he was Player of the Match in the BBL final as the Scorchers claimed their third BBL title under coach Justin Langer.
Later that summer, in February 2017, Langer was seconded to stand in as coach for Australia's three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka while full-time coach Darren Lehmann and the Test squad headed to India. With a number of first-choice players away there was an opportunity for some of the best performers in the BBL to get their international breaks and Richardson played in two of the three games, debuting in a nail-biter at Geelong.
When Langer took over as coach of Australia following the South Africa tour, Richardson was part of a new team of fresh faces for Langer's first assignment, a five-match ODI tour of England. He was part of the attack that gave up a world-record ODI score at Trent Bridge.
Richardson dislocated his right shoulder while diving in the field during at ODI against Pakistan in Sharjah in the lead-up to the World Cup. The injury ruled him out of the World Cup and the subsequent Ashes series. He made a quiet return to domestic cricket later in 2019 but didn't immediately reach the pace he previously had and also struggled to throw in the field.
When the Covid-19 pandemic put a halt to international cricket, Richardson elected to have further surgery to stabilise his troublesome shoulder.
"He's been magnificent for us. He bowls all the tough overs. He bowls up front, he's bowling in every power surge and he's often got one at the death as well. Not only is he the leading wicket-taker, but I think he's also got one of the better economy rates in the competition."
Perth Scorchers coach Adam Voges
Alex Malcolm is a freelance writer based in Melbourne