D Miller IPL 2021: Why is Ben Stokes not playing today’s IPL 2021 match vs Delhi Capitals?

Ben Stokes not playing: Rajasthan Royals have made a couple of changes to their Playing XI for their second IPL 2021 match.

During the seventh match of the ongoing 14th season of the Indian Premier League between Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Capitals in Mumbai, Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has won the toss and chose to field.

“We would like to bowl first. The conditions demands that, it’s easier to bowl first. Matches come on in a very short time, you have to get over it. We have to take the learning experience and move on.

“We have plans for every batsmen. You are expected to go for runs here. We need to have a mindset of picking wickets. I am okay if our bowlers go for some runs, we there to score it back,” Samson told Star Sports at the toss.

Being asked about his view on batting first at the Wankhede Stadium, Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant wasn’t much concerned saying that the toss “doesn’t matter” on such surfaces.

“On this wicket, toss doesn’t matter. The surface looks good. Good to hear that we have won the last five matches but the team that plays well will in the match,” Pant told Star Sports at the toss.

Why is Ben Stokes not playing vs Delhi Capitals?

Talking about the changes for this match, Rajasthan will take the field without all-rounder Ben Stokes and spinner Shreyas Gopal. With Stokes ruled out of IPL 2021 due to an injury, he was bound to not play this match. Gopal, on the other hand, has been benched to accommodate an extra pacer in Jaydev Unadkat.

In 33 T20s for Rajasthan, Unadkat has picked 25 wickets at an average of 44.48, an economy rate of 10.05 and a strike rate of 26.56. As far as Stokes’ replacement is concerned, South Africa batsman David Miller will be playing his second match for Royals.

sakariya, mustafizur & unadkat – #RR pulling a pakistan from the late 80s with their left arm seam contingent #DCvsRR #IPL2021

— Gaurav Kalra (@gauravkalra75) April 15, 2021

Much like RR, DC have also made a couple of changes as debutant all-rounder Lalit Yadav and fast bowler Kagiso Rabada have been included for batsman Shimron Hetmyer and spinner Amit Mishra.

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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