Is Marcus Stoinis playing today's PBKS vs KKR IPL 2025 match?
Punjab Kings (PBKS) all-rounder Marcus Stoinis was omitted from the playing XI for their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Mullanpur on Tuesday, April 15. The 35-year-old was also not part of the Impact Subs list as PBKS opted to go with five Indian players in Vijaykumar Vyshak, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Harpreet Brar and Praveen Dubey.
The reason behind his exclusion from the team was not known at the time of writing. Skipper Shreyas Iyer, who won the toss and opted to bat first, said that he could not remember changes to the playing XI from the previous match.
"We are going to bat first. Feel the wicket has been really well for the last couple of matches, the dew comes in but the outfield doesn't skid through. Don't remember the team changes, I will tell later. We need to take as many catches in the fielding and create some sort of brilliance," Iyer said at the toss (via Cricbuzz).
Xavier Bartlett, Josh Inglis make debuts for PBKS; Anrich Nortje debuts for KKR
When the line-ups were announced after the toss, PBKS had made two changes to the team that lost to Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday, April 12. The Australian duo of Xavier Bartlett and Josh Inglis were handed their IPL 2025 debut, and they came in place of the injured Lockie Ferguson and Marcus Stoinis.
KKR also made one change to their playing XI, bringing in South African pacer Andrich Nortje for Moeen Ali. Captain Ajinkya Rahane said that the pacer had been working hard and he was looking forward to watching him on Tuesday night.
"We were looking to bowl first on this wicket. For me, toss is something you cannot control. We have a batting that can chase the target. Just one change. Nortje comes in for Moeen Ali. He has been working hard on his game and I am really looking forward to see him bowl tonight," Rahane said at the toss (via Cricbuzz).
PBKS are coming into the match after a crushing defeat at the hands of SRH in Hyderabad, while KKR clinched a morale-boosting eight-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in Chennai on Friday, April 11.