Why is Quinton de Kock Not Playing Today’s IPL 2023 Match Between Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals at Ekana Sports City?

Delhi Capitals captain David Warner has won the toss and chose to bowl in the third match of the ongoing 16th season of the Indian Premier League against Lucknow Super Giants in Lucknow tonight.

“Going to have a bowl. For us, it’s about trying to assess conditions early and knowing what to chase. It [Impact Player Rule] can be quite confusing. Maybe stressful at times,” Warner told host broadcaster Star Sports Network at the toss.

Delhi have made three changes to their Playing XI which took part in their last IPL 2022 match against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium. Regular captain Rishabh Pant, all-rounder Shardul Thakur and fast bowler Anrich Nortje have made way for batter Rilee Rossouw and pacers Chetan Sakariya and Mukesh Kumar (IPL debut).

Why is Quinton de Kock Not Playing Today vs Delhi Capitals?

Going to play their first-ever match at their home ground, Lucknow Super Giants captain KL Rahul admitted to be “clueless” with respect to how the stadium will behave during the course of this season. Readers must note that Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Cricket Stadium is also hosting an IPL match for the first time.

“That’s how most IPL teams work. They want to make their home ground their fortress. We’re as clueless as the opposition. We haven’t played here. We’re going in with no expectations. For all you know, it might be a good batting wicket,” Rahul told Star Sports Network at the toss.

The home team has made a total of five changes to their Playing XI which had participated in IPL 2022 Eliminator against Royal Challengers Bangalore at Eden Gardens.

The development means that all-rounder Kyle Mayers, wicket-keeper batter Nicholas Pooran, batter Ayush Badoni and fast bowlers Jaydev Unadkat and Mark Wood getting a go ahead of wicket-keeper batter Quinton de Kock, batters Manan Vohra and Evin Lewis and pacers Dushmantha Chameera and Mohsin Khan.

While the likes of Lewis and Chameera are no longer part of LSG’s squad, de Kock isn’t playing this match as he is currently on national duty. For the unversed, South African cricketers will join IPL franchises after their third ODI against Netherlands in Johannesburg tomorrow.

UPDATE: de Kock isn’t playing Lucknow’s second match either due to the same reason. With South African cricketers relieved from national duty on Sunday, expect them to start playing IPL 2023 matches tomorrow onward.

About the author

Dixit Bhargav

Born and brought up in Pathankot, Dixit Bhargav is an engineering and sports management graduate who works as a Cricket Editor at The SportsRush. Having written more than 10,000 articles across more than five years at TSR, his first cricketing memory dates back to 2002 when former India captain Sourav Ganguly had waved his jersey at the historic Lord’s balcony. What followed for an 8-year-old was an instant adulation for both Ganguly and the sport. The optimist in him is waiting for the day when Punjab Kings will win their maiden Indian Premier League title. When not watching cricket, he is mostly found in a cinema hall watching a Punjabi movie.

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