IPL 2022: Why are Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Vijay Shankar not playing today's PBKS vs GT match?

Vijay Shankar (L) and Bhanuka Rajapaksa.

Gujarat Titans (GT) have made two "forced changes" in their playing XI while Punjab Kings (PBKS) have made a solitary substitution for their clash in IPL 2022.

All-rounder Vijay Shankar and pacer Varun Aaron missed out on GT's playing XI for the match. Captain Hardik Pandya at the toss said Shankar has a "back-spasm" but only mentioned an "injury" in Aaron's case.

There was a case building up for Shankar to get the ax for this match due to his poor form. Though GT won their first two games, he looked at sea, scoring only 17 runs at an average of 8.50 from the crucial No. 3 position.

He was also called upon to bowl just once in two games and conceded 14 runs in it.

Aaron, meanwhile, looked in good touch and took two wickets in the first match but suffered an injury in the second game, bowling just one over before shunting to the dressing room.

The 32-year-old's international career was marred by injuries and he'll hope that the same doesn't happen here.

Just 1⃣ change: Bairstow 🔁 Bhanuka!

#SherSquad, thoughts? 💬

#SaddaPunjab #PBKSvGT #IPL2022 #PunjabKings #ਸਾਡਾਪੰਜਾਬ https://t.co/QmDmi8uFBR

PBKS, meanwhile, made the much-anticipated choice. Bhanuka Rajapaksa scored 83 runs in three games at a strike-rate of 230.56 but it wasn't enough to keep English wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow out.

The franchise had a choice to take a risk by subbing out all-rounder Odean Smith, but they took the safer path.

GT's playing XI without Vijay Shankar and Varun Aaron

2️⃣ debutants begin their #SeasonOfFirsts - B Sai Sudharsan and Darshan Nalkande 🤩

#PBKSvGT | #AavaDe | #TATAIPL https://t.co/CMUSZa4rQW

The Titans have brought in two debutants - Sai Sudharsan for Shankar and Darshan Nalkande for Aaron. Sudharsan is a 20-year-old left-handed batter from Tamil Nadu with 182 runs from seven domestic T20s.

Nalkande bowls right-arm pace for Vidharba and has picked up 43 wickets from 22 T20s at a stunning average of 12.76.

GT playing XI: Matthew Wade (wk), Shubman Gill, Sai Sudharsan, Hardik Pandya (c), David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, Abhinav Manohar, Rashid Khan, Lockie Ferguson, Mohammed Shami, Darshan Nalkande

PBKS playing XI: Mayank Agarwal (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Liam Livingstone, Jonny Bairstow (wk), Jitesh Sharma, Shahrukh Khan, Odean Smith, Kagiso Rabada, Rahul Chahar, Vaibhav Arora, Arshdeep Singh.