Suyash Prabhudessai RCB stats: Why are Harshal Patel and David Willey not playing today’s IPL 2022 match between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore?

Harshal Patel and David Willey: Royal Challengers Bangalore have made a couple of changes to their Playing XI for this match.

During the 22nd match of the ongoing 15th season of the Indian Premier League between Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore in Navi Mumbai, Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis has won the toss and chose to bowl yet again.

“We are going to have a bowl. Going with the trend of the tournament, win the toss and bowl. We have been good with the ball. We need to improve with the last two overs,” du Plessis told Star Sports at the toss.

Much like du Plessis, Chennai Super Kings captain Ravindra Jadeja also wanted to follow the trend of fielding first in IPL 2022. Searching for an elusive victory this season, Jadeja hoped for his team to “fight it out” at the Dr DY Patil Sports Academy tonight.

“We would have bowled first as well, looking at the wicket. We’ll look to come here and play competitive cricket. The toss is not going our way, something that’s not going out way. As a team every game is important. We’ll try to fight it out and clinch our first win hopefully,” Jadeja told Star Sports at the toss.

Why are Harshal Patel and David Willey not playing vs CSK today?

With Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood available to play now, Royal Challengers made the obvious change of playing him ahead of England all-rounder David Willey. In four matches this season, Willey’s solitary wicket has come at an economy and strike rate of 6.54 and 66 respectively.

Furthermore, pacer Harshal Patel is also missing this match after leaving the bio-bubble following his sister’s death. Goa all-rounder Suyash Prabhudessai, who has been handed an IPL debut, has replaced Patel in the Playing XI.

Prabhudessai, 24, has scored 443 runs in 20 T20 innings at an average and strike rate of 31.64 and 148.16 respectively including a half-century. Having received a maiden IPL bid last season when RCB bought him for his base price of INR 20 lakh, Prabhudessai was bought again by the franchise for INR 30 lakh in IPL 2022 mega auction.

“Josh Hazlewood is back. Excited to see what he will do with the new ball. We also have an exciting youngster [Suyash Prabhudessai] coming in,” du Plessis added.

Super Kings, on the other hand, will be taking the field without making any change to their Playing XI.