IPL 2022: Why is Avesh Khan not playing today's LSG vs DC match?

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have left out ace fast-bowler Avesh Khan from their playing 11 for the IPL 2022 clash against Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday. Off-spin all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham has replaced him.

Super Giants skipper KL Rahul at the toss said the change was both forced and tactical. He said the IPL team didn't want to give the pacer back-to-back games after his return from injury and added that the match conditions also favored Gowtham.

"Avesh is just coming back from a small injury so we didn't want to play him back-to-back. And also being an afternoon game, the pitch looks quite dry, there were a couple of left-handers in their team and K Gowtham did well the first time we played against them. So just a good match-up and we thought KG will be a good option for us," KL Rahul stated.

Avesh, the top wicket-taker for Delhi last season, didn't play against the Mumbai Indians (MI) last Sunday. Rahul only mentioned a "niggle" on that occasion.

He returned for the last match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) but didn't manage to pick up any wickets and also didn't complete his quota of four overs, going for 26 runs in 18 balls.

His absence from just one match allowed left-arm speedster Mohsin Khan to get into the side and he impressed immediately with a spell of 1/27 against the Mumbai Indians (MI).

He then took 3/24 against the Punjab Kings (PBKS), proving himself to be an able backup.

Gowtham, meanwhile, has 16 wickets and 186 runs to his name from 26 IPL matches. The last time the Super Giants played the Capitals, he bowled a brilliant holding spell of 1/23, also taking the crucial wicket of Prithvi Shaw.

Check out this IPL purple cap winners from 2008 to 2022 here.

LSG's playing 11 without Avesh Khan

Lucknow Super Giants Playing XI: Quinton de Kock (wk), KL Rahul (c), Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jason Holder, Dushmantha Chameera, Mohsin Khan and Ravi Bishnoi.

The Capitals haven't made any changes to their team.

Delhi Capitals Playing XI: Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Lalit Yadav, Rovman Powell, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Mustafizur Rahman and Chetan Sakariya.