Why are Sandeep Sharma and Mohammad Nabi not playing today’s IPL 2021 match vs RCB?

Sandeep Sharma and Mohammad Nabi: Sunrisers Hyderabad have made a couple of changes in their second IPL 2021 match.

During the sixth match of the ongoing 14th season of the Indian Premier League between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai, Sunrisers Hyderabad captain David Warner has won the toss and chose to field.

“We will bowl first. Don’t think the conditions will change a lot, we’ll have to play with a positive mindset. The fielding wasn’t great, we are looking to improve on that,” Warner told Star Sports at the toss.

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli, who hasn’t had much luck with the toss of late, sounded unperturbed with respect to being asked to bat first. Expecting more professionalism from his players, Kohli hoped to get a “good total” at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

“Looks patchy, so not a bad toss to lose. Runs on the board in Chennai is proving to be important, if we do get wickets in the middle overs, it will become difficult. Was a good game, but we were not at our best – to finish eight down wasn’t ideal, but as a bowling unit, it was great to be back in the game. We will need to be professional, play ourselves in and then get a good total,” Kohli told Star Sports at the toss.

Why are Sandeep Sharma and Mohammad Nabi not playing vs RCB?

As far as the changes for this match are concerned, Hyderabad have included all-rounder Jason Holder and spinner Shahbaz Nadeem for all-rounder Mohammad Nabi and pacer Sandeep Sharma.

While Warner wasn’t asked about the rationale behind the changes, they appear to be a ramification of a 10-run loss in their season opener against Kolkata Knight Riders at the same venue last week.

Sharing the new ball with Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Sharma had leaked 35 runs in his three overs in the last match. Nabi, on the other hand, had registered bowling figures of 4-0-32-2 but scored 14 (11) in a crunch situation. In Holder and Nadeem, Sunrisers have a fast-bowling all-rounder and a left-arm spinner in their Playing XI tonight.

For Bangalore, regular opening batsman Devdutt Padikkal has returned for Rajat Patidar. Kohli also confirmed that he will be opening the batting alongside Padikkal with all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed slated at bat at No. 3.