A team may have a strong first XI, but may not always have their best 11 players available. With the international calendar jam-packed, and with some players recovering from injury, almost every team will miss some of their recruits in the early part of the IPL season. Here's a look at the player availability for each team.
Mumbai Indians
England quick Jofra Archer, who was picked up for INR 8 crores at the auction, is unavailable for the 2022 season as he continues to recover from an elbow injury.
Suryakumar Yadav, meanwhile, is set to miss Mumbai's opening match against Delhi Capitals on March 27. He picked up a hairline thumb fracture in the final T20I against West Indies and is yet to be released by the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, where he has been undergoing rehab.
Chennai Super Kings
Super Kings pace spearhead Deepak Chahar is set to miss a large chunk of IPL 2022, if not more, with a quadriceps injury. The team will also be without key allrounder Moeen Ali for their first match on March 26, against Kolkata Knight Riders. Moeen landed in Mumbai on the morning of March 24, and will need to undergo a mandatory three-day quarantine before joining the squad. South Africa's Dwaine Pretorius is the second overseas player Super Kings will miss for their opening game, as he finished playing the ODI series against Bangladesh at home only on March 23.
Kolkata Knight Riders
Alex Hales pulling out of the IPL citing bubble fatigue opened a door for Australia's limited-overs captain Aaron Finch. However, with Australia's white-ball series against Pakistan to conclude on April 5, Finch will not be available for the first handful of games. Pat Cummins, meanwhile, is understood to fly back to Australia after the Pakistan Test series to attend Shane Warne's memorial on March 30. He will join the side after serving the mandatory three-day quarantine and should be available for their fourth match, on April 6.
Tim Southee, though, will be available despite New Zealand playing Netherlands in a white-ball series at home. But he may have to miss the playoffs and the final, should Knight Riders make it that far, with New Zealand set to begin a three-match Test series in England on June 2.
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Apart from Australia seamer Sean Abbott, who will miss the first three games, the rest of the players are available.
Rajasthan Royals
Rassie van der Dussen, who was part of South Africa's ODI series against Bangladesh, should be available for Royals' first game on March 29.
Royal Challengers Bangalore
The newly married Glenn Maxwell will miss at least the first two games, while Josh Hazlewood and Jason Behrendorff are set to miss the first three matches as the Australian players will only be released after April 6.
Delhi Capitals
David Warner is unavailable for Capitals' first two games and Mitchell Marsh for the first three. Lungi Ngidi and Mustafizur Rahman were part of the South Africa-Bangladesh ODI series and will also miss the first match. The bigger concern for Capitals is Anrich Nortje's fitness. He has been dealing with hip and back issues, and while he joined Capitals' squad on Sunday, it is understood he is likely to sit out the first few matches.
Punjab Kings
Kagiso Rabada will miss Kings' opening match as he was part of South Africa's ODI series against Bangladesh. Jonny Bairstow is in the West Indies with England's Test side and is likely to miss the first two games. With England set to play New Zealand in early June, Bairstow could also be unavailable for the final if Kings make it that far.
Lucknow Super Giants
Mark Wood was ruled out of the 2022 season after picking up a right elbow injury on England's tour of the West Indies. Andrew Tye has replaced him in the squad. Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers are expected to be available only after the first week of the IPL as they are part of West Indies' Test squad against England. They will miss Super Giants' first two matches. Marcus Stoinis, who is part of Australia's white-ball squads for the Pakistan tour, will miss the third match as well.
Gujarat Titans
Afghanistan wicketkeeper-batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz has replaced England batter Jason Roy, who withdrew due to bubble fatigue. West Indies quick Alzarri Joseph, who is playing the third Test against England, will miss the first game against Super Giants.