IPL 2023: Why Is Hardik Pandya Not Playing For Gujarat Titans Vs Kolkata Knight Riders? Check Here

IPL 2023: GT captain Hardik Pandya is missing the clash against Kolkata Knight Riders taking place at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

Source: Twitter

Gujarat Titans are all set to lock horns with the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. In what comes as a big and bad news for GT fans is that the permanent skipper Hardik Pandya is missing from the playing eleven. In his absence, spinner Rashid Khan is leading the defending champions against Nitish Rana's Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Rashid won the toss and elected to bat first against KKR looking at the conditions at the venue.

Rashid informed that Hardik is missing the clash because he is unwell and the team did not want to risk the situation so he will rest for this clash.

"We would like to bat first, looks like a fresh wicket, hopefully we can put up a good total and defend it. (On Hardik Pandya not playing today) Just unwell slightly, don't want to take risks with him. As a team we will try to play good cricket. We would like to bat well and putJust one change, Vijay Shankar is in for Hardik," informed Rashid after winning the toss.

GT got off to a fine start after electing to bat first against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

GT vs KKR Playing 11s

Gujarat Titans (Playing 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.

Kolkata Knight Riders (Playing XI): Rahmanullah Gurbaz(w), N Jagadeesan, Nitish Rana(c), Rinku Singh, Andre Russell, Sunil Narine, Shardul Thakur, Suyash Sharma, Lockie Ferguson, Umesh Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy. (more to follow)