Why Marcus Stoinis not playing today: Why is Jason Holder not playing today’s IPL 2022 match between Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants?

Marcus Stoinis not playing today: Lucknow Super Giants will be taking the field with three overseas players tonight.

During the fourth match of the ongoing 15th season of the Indian Premier League between Gujarat Titans and Lucknow Super Giants at the Wankhede Stadium, Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya has won the toss and chose to bowl.

“We are going to bowl. First game we want to see how exactly the wickets are playing and keeping the dew factor as well. We wanted to see, assess and go through from there. It is always special to play in Wankhede because I have had some amazing memories here. It is a different role, different team but the feeling is same,” Pandya told Star Sports at the toss.

Not affected much due to overseas players’ unavailability, Titans have the services of their first-choice overseas players in Australia wicket-keeper batter Matthew Wade, South Africa batter David Miller, Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan and New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson.

Why is Marcus Stoinis not playing vs Gujarat Titans?

Much like Pandya, Lucknow Super Giants captain Lokesh Rahul also wanted to field first. Asked to bat first in their first-ever match, Rahul laid emphasis on putting a “good total” on the board in the first innings.

“I think it is pretty straightforward when you play at Wankhede [Stadium], everyone wants to bowl first. The dew plays a big part in the second innings but the wicket remains the same throughout 40 overs. It is our first game and it is important to go out there and enjoy ourselves, put a good total on the board,” Rahul told Star Sports at the toss.

Severely affected by the absence of their overseas players, Super Giants will be taking the field without their trio of all-rounders in Australia’s Marcus Stoinis and West Indies’ Jason Holder and Kyle Mayers. While Stoinis is in Pakistan for a white-ball tour beginning from tomorrow, Holder and Mayers have just finished a three-match Test series against England at home.

Readers must note that Lucknow have handed IPL debuts to a couple of lesser known youngsters namely Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan (ahead of the likes of Manan Vohra, Krishnappa Gowtham and Ankit Rajpoot). A top-order batter, Badoni represents Delhi in domestic cricket. Khan, on the other hand, is a fast bowler from Uttar Pradesh.