The Punjab Kings’ playing XI is set for a change in their upcoming match against the Rajasthan Royals, according to cricket expert Aakash Chopra. The former Indian opener predicts that South African pacer Kagiso Rabada will replace Nathan Ellis, who is likely to sit out for the game. Rabada was unable to play in PBKS’ previous match against the Kolkata Knight Riders due to national duty but is expected to be available for the upcoming match on April 5th.
Chopra also believes that the team is unlikely to make any other changes besides the one involving Rabada. He expects the batting lineup to remain the same, except for the possibility of Liam Livingstone not being available, in which case Bhanuka Rajapaksa will take his place. While the Punjab Kings’ batters performed well in their last match, Chopra feels that the team is still short on batting depth.
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On the other hand, Chopra thinks that the Punjab Kings have a decent bowling attack. Arshdeep Singh was their most successful bowler in their previous game, taking three wickets, while Sam Curran, Nathan Ellis, Sikandar Raza, Rahul Chahar, Rishi Dhawan, and Harpreet Brar all picked up a wicket each.
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Chopra added that the Punjab Kings’ think tank had built their team around Jonny Bairstow and Liam Livingstone, and their absence has left gaps that can’t be filled with the other overseas batters they have, particularly in terms of batting depth. Nonetheless, the team still has the potential to perform well in the upcoming match against the Rajasthan Royals.
Cricket fans can watch the action unfold when the Punjab Kings and the Rajasthan Royals meet at the Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati on April 5th. With Rabada set to replace Ellis, it will be exciting to see how the rest of the team performs against their opponents.