Khaleel Yadav's absence from Delhi Capitals' must-win game against Rajasthan Royals had gotten netizens wondering whether it was a decision taken deliberately, or he was not selected due to an injury concern.
Delhi skipper Rishabh Pant was questioned about the changes in his side, after a heavy 91-run defeat in their previous game, and since all of their remaining 3 matches are must-win games now, Pant decided to replace Ripal Patel with Lalit Yadav, but the other change, Chetan Sakariya in place of Khaleel Ahmed left fans confused.
Khaleel has already picked up 16 wickets for DC in 8 matches, however, fans weren't happy after the pacer wasn't named in the playing XI.
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While the skipper Pant didn't reveal why Khaleel was left out, DC head coach Ricky Ponting later revealed during a mid-game interaction with the commentators that it was due to a hamstring issue.
Ponting was quizzed about his side's struggles in IPL 2022, and in his reply, the former Australian skipper mentioned that covid, combined with injuries, had indeed affected them. He also stated that Prithvi Shaw was ruled out of IPL 2022 and that Khaleel Yadav also missed the match versus Rajasthan due to a hamstring issue.
While the seriousness of the hamstring injury isn't known, DC will be hoping the Indian pacer can return in time should they win tonight against RR, and keep their playoff hopes alive.
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Delhi Capitals meanwhile kept their hopes of playing their remaining two games and reaching the playoffs of IPL 2022 with a much-needed 8-wicket win against Rajasthan Royals.
David Warner notched his fifth half-century of IPL 2022, and he played a key role alongside Mitchell Marsh (89 off 62) in a comprehensive display for DC.
