Will Quinton de Kock play today vs SRH?
Yes, the good news for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) is that South African opener Quinton de Kock is available to play their 3rd match in IPL 2023, on Friday, against Sunrisers Hyderabad, in Lucknow.
However, it’s quite a tough call to make for the management on who will he replace and where will he bat.
Quinton de Kock was the second-highest run-scorer for LSG in IPL 2022
In IPL 2022, as LSG reached the playoffs, Quinton de Kock amassed 508 runs with 3 fifties and 1 century, a best of 140*.
Now, however, the LSG management headed by coach Andy Flower, mentor Gautam Gambhir, and captain KL Rahul will have to bench one star overseas player.
This is because of Kyle Mayers’ bumper form in the two matches so far. Kyle Mayers was supposed to be the makeshift opener for LSG for the first two matches until Quinton de Kock arrived after completing the ODI series vs the Netherlands. Before that, he’d smashed a thunderous T20I century vs West Indies.
Kyle Mayers became the first-ever batsman in the history of IPL to his two fifties in his first two innings.
Mayers’ rapid starts and belligerent hitting masked the two poor outings of KL Rahul, who has 28 runs in 2 innings at a strike rate of 93.
So what will LSG do now? Will they drop Kyle Mayers, or will someone else be dropped?
LSG’s 4 overseas players in their last game were Kyle Mayers, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, and Mark Wood.
Mark Wood is in terrific T20 form and has started the IPL 2023 with a bang: with 8 wickets in 2 matches, including a 5-fer vs DC in Lucknow, Mark Wood is currently the Purple Cap holder and is cranking up the high pace of close to 150 KPH.
Nicholas Pooran, batting at number 6, has played two sizzling cameos: 36 (21) vs DC and 32 (18)vs CSK.
This leaves Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis as the most likely player who will face the axe. Stoinis has managed scores of 12(10) and 21(18). Because he also hasn’t bowlers – he’s not been needed or asked to – his value in this LSG side has decreased and he’s played only as a batter.
Quinton de Kock is likely to replace Marcus Stoinis in LSG’s XI vs SRH.
The left-hander could be slotted in at number 3 because he can play spin better than Kyle Mayers, who is likely to continue opening in a bid to maximize the powerplay.
