“You feel bad”: Quinton de Kock Not Playing IPL 2023 Matches is Unfortunate As Per LSG Captain KL Rahul

Just like an Indian Premier League auction can be unpredictable even for the biggest cricketing names doing the rounds across the globe, an IPL season is no less with respect to the unpredictability factor especially for overseas players.

Third-highest (second-highest for his team) run-scorer in IPL 2022, South Africa and Lucknow Super Giants wicket-keeper batter Quinton de Kock is the latest victim of the biggest T20 league across the globe’s erratic nature.

In spite of amassing 508 runs in 15 innings at an average and strike rate of 36.28 and 148.97 respectively last season, de Kock hasn’t managed to find a place in Super Giants’ Playing XI in the ongoing 16th season of the IPL.

Quinton de Kock Not Playing IPL 2023 Matches is Unfortunate As Per LSG Captain KL Rahul

Always going to miss Lucknow’s first two IPL 2023 matches because of national duty, de Kock has ended up missing the first six matches now.

Having made his IPL debut this season, West Indies all-rounder Kyle Mayers scoring a couple of quickfire half-centuries in de Kock’s absence has been enough for the team management to present him with four more opportunities.

With him in the middle of registering another impact-generating contribution in the ongoing match against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur, Mayers scoring three half-centuries in six matches will further make it difficult for de Kock to reclaim his opening spot. Considering how only four overseas players can feature in one IPL Playing XI, it will be interesting to see for how long will LSG continue to bench de Kock.

“Quinny [Quinton de Kock] still misses out. It’s quite unfortunate that someone like Quinton has to sit out but, unfortunately, there are only four foreign players that can play this competition,” Lucknow captain KL Rahul told host broadcaster Star Sports Network at the toss tonight.

“He’ll just have to wait for some more time. Kyle [Mayers] is doing really well. Bit unfortunate. You feel bad. I’ve enjoyed playing and opening [the batting] with Quinton.”

Even though the sample size is too small, Mayers bowling four economical overs in the powerplay has also worked in his favour. Furthermore, Super Giants adding former West Indies captain Nicholas Pooran to their squad has allowed them to have a hard-hitting middle-order wicket-keeper batter with them. An all-rounder and a fast bowler occupy the remaining two overseas spots for the franchise in IPL 2023.

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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