• Gujarat Titans captain Hardik Pandya did not play the match against Kolkata Knight Riders.

  • Stand-in skipper Rashid Khan revealed the reason for Pandya's absence.

IPL 2023, GT vs KKR: Rashid Khan reveals why Hardik Pandya is not playing today’s game
Rashid Khan, Hardik Pandya (Photo Source: Twitter)

Gujarat Titans (GT) were dealt a blow before their match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), as their captain Hardik Pandya could not participate in the competition. As a result, Rashid Khan is leading the team.

Despite Pandya’s absence, the Titans are optimistic because they have won their first two matches of the season. They are playing their second home game of the season at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Last year, they won the IPL title in their debut season and will look to extend their winning streak to three matches. However, without Pandya, an essential member of the team, the Titans were compelled to replace him with experienced Indian all-rounder Vijay Shankar.

At the toss, Rashid stated that Pandya’s absence was only a precautionary measure and that he’s expected to return for the next game.

The Titans won the toss and elected to bat first on a fresh wicket. They posted a mammoth total of 204/4 in their stipulated 20 overs and will now look to defend it against the depleted KKR side.

Shankar, who replaced Hardik in the starting XI, played an unbeaten 63-run knock off just 24 balls. Last match hero, Sai Sudharsan, continued his rich vein of form and scored 53 runs in 38 deliveries.

Gujarat Titans Team for clash against KKR:

Starting XI: Wriddhiman Saha(w), Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Vijay Shankar, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Abhinav Manohar, Rashid Khan(c), Mohammed Shami, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal

Subs: Jayant Yadav, Srikar Bharat, Mohit Sharma, Matthew Wade, Joshua Little.

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