IPL 2025: Why is Vaibhav Arora missing from starting playing 11 in DC vs KKR Match 48?

The KKR has made an interesting change within their squad as they have made way for spin-bowling all-rounder Anukul Roy in the playing XI ahead of the match against the Delhi Capitals. It is the Capitals who have won the toss and put the Kolkata franchise to bat in the game; the boys in purple are currently seventh on the table, winning three out of the nine games this season.

Toss Update

Axar Patel had won the toss and decided to field first, mentioning that there might be a presence of dew in the game, which would make it easier to bat in the second innings. This might be a decision taken by the Delhi captain on what took place in their disappointing loss against RCB, which also took place at their home ground at the Arun Jaitley Stadium.

Anukul Roy to play his first game in IPL 2025

This seems to be an interesting change from the KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane, who revealed at the toss that they might need another spin option will be good on this surface considering its nature. Though Vaibhav Arora is not part of the playing XI, he might make an appearance as an impact substitute in the game and still play a role in the second innings.

What did the captains say?

Axar Patel, Delhi Capitals

We'll field, last game it got easier after dew came on. Don't know if it'll happen again but we don't want to take chances. Same team. It's a slightly slow pitch, not as dry as the last game. Might be a 190 pitch, let's see, we'll find out after we bowl and assess.

Ajinkya Rahane, Kolkata Knight Riders

Anukul Roy comes in. It's hard to read the wicket, but looking at it now and the last game, the left-arm spinner seems a good option. We have to win five out of five. We're trying to give our best and play one game at a time. We don't want to think too much about the pitch, will assess conditions quickly and decide the approach.

Playing XIs

Delhi Capitals

Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel (wk), Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Axar Patel (c), Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar.

Impact Subs: Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Tripurana Vijay, Donovan Ferreira.

Kolkata Knight Riders

Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Venkatesh Iyer, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Rovman Powell, Harshit Rana, Anukul Roy, Varun Chakaravarthy.

Impact Subs: Manish Pandey, Mayank Markande, Vaibhav Arora, Ramandeep Singh, Luvnith Sisodia.