'Good option …': Ajinkya Rahane explains Vaibhav Arora's omission as KKR bring in Anukul Roy against DC in crucial IPL match

In a surprising move, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) dropped their joint highest wicket-taker, Vaibhav Arora, for Anukul Roy in a crucial match against Delhi Capitals. Skipper Ajinkya Rahane cited pitch conditions as the reason for the change, aiming for spin variety. Delhi Capitals, led by Axar Patel, chose to bowl first, anticipating dew.

NEW DELHI: In a surprising move, defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) dropped one of their standout performers, Vaibhav Arora, for their must-win IPL 2025 clash against Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday. Arora, who has been KKR’s joint highest wicket-taker with 11 scalps in eight matches, made way for left-arm spinner Anukul Roy.

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At the toss, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane shed light on the decision, stating that the change was dictated by the pitch conditions.

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“We have one change, Anukul Roy comes in. It’s hard to read the wicket, I thought the left-arm spinner will be a good option on this surface,” Rahane said. “We need to win five out of five, as simple as that. We are looking to play one game at a time and we will move forward accordingly.”

Who’s that IPL player?

The pitch in Delhi, known for being unpredictable, prompted Rahane to go for variety and control in the middle overs, especially on a surface expected to offer some turn. Anukul Roy, who has been with KKR since 2022, will be playing his first game of the season.

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Do you agree with KKR’s decision to drop Vaibhav Arora for Anukul Roy?

Not familiar with the playersUndecidedNo, Arora should have playedYes, it was a strategic move

Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel, who won the toss and chose to bowl, highlighted the potential dew factor later in the evening. “Becomes easier to bat in the second innings because of the dew. We are playing with the same XI,” he said.

With DC sitting fourth on the table with 12 points and KKR seventh with just seven, the match holds significant playoff implications, particularly for the Kolkata side who need to win at least four of their last five games.

DC vs KKR Playing XIs

Kolkata Knight Riders: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (w), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (c), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Rovman Powell, Harshit Rana, Anukul Roy, Varun Chakaravarthy

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

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