Ishant Sharma IPL 2021: Why is R Ashwin not playing today’s IPL 2021 match vs RCB?

Dixit Bhargav | 27/04/2021
Ishant Sharma IPL 2021: Why is R Ashwin not playing today's IPL 2021 match vs RCB?

R Ashwin not playing: Delhi Capitals have made a solitary change to their Playing XI by bringing in a fast bowler for a spinner.

During the 22nd match of the ongoing 14th season of the Indian Premier League between Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Ahmedabad, Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant has won the toss and chose to field.

“We will look to bowl first. The wicket looks dry, so we want to bowl before the dew sets in. Nothing much to talk about the previous game. We should have won the game before the Super Over,” Pant told Star Sports at the toss.

Much like Pant, Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli revealed that he too wanted to field first because of the dew factor. Being asked about the changes made to their Playing XI, Kohli announced that batsman Rajat Patidar and all-rounder Daniel Sams have replaced all-rounder Daniel Christian and fast bowler Navdeep Saini for this match.

“We would have bowled as well. Dew is a big factor here. I think it came as early as the first innings. So we got to set a nice foundation, need to have wickets in hand and go hard. We need to keep that intent going,” Kohli told Star Sports at the toss.

Why is R Ashwin not playing vs RCB?

As far as the changes for Delhi are concerned, fast bowler Ishant Sharma has been included for spinner Ravichandran Ashwin. In the 19 overs that Ashwin had bowled across five matches, his solitary wicket had come at an economy rate of 7.73.

It is worth mentioning that Ashwin’s performance isn’t a reason for him not playing this match. After their victory against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Chennai, 34-year old Ashwin had announced that he is taking a break from IPL 2021 to be with his family amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sharma, who had made his IPL debut for Kolkata Knight Riders in 2008, had joined Delhi Capitals in 2019. In 14 T20s for DC, Sharma’s 13 wickets have come at an average of 28.85, an economy rate of 7.65 and a strike rate of 22.62.

Post Edited By: Dixit Bhargav
DC Delhi Capitals Indian Premier League IPL 2021 Ishant Sharma Ravichandran Ashwin RCB Royal Challengers Bangalore

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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