punjab kings And Rajasthan Royals Close contest in match 40 ipl 2026 At the Maharaja Yadvendra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, both the teams made significant changes to their playing combinations. captain of rajasthan royals Riyan Parag Won the toss and elected to field first, hoping to make the most of the surface under lights.
However, the biggest talking point before the start of the game was the absence of two key Rajasthan players – Shimron Hetmyer And Ravi Bishnoi. His omission surprised many fans, especially given the importance of consistency in the playoff race.
Why are Shimron Hetmyer and Ravi Bishnoi not playing?
Rajasthan Royals decided to go in with two new faces as Hetmyer and Bishnoi were left out of the playing eleven. Although captain Parag did not reveal any injury concerns or specific reasons behind the decision, it appeared to be a tactical move based on the team balance and match situation.
sri lankan allrounder Dasun Shanaka Hetmyer was replaced in the middle order, giving RR finishing ability as well as an additional bowling option. Meanwhile, the young spinner Yash Raj Punja Bishnoi came in place, suggesting that the franchise wanted a different spin combination for Mullanpur conditions.
Speaking at the toss, Parag clearly confirmed the two changes.
“Two changes. Hetmyer sat out, Dasun Shanaka came in. And there is one more change. Bishnoi went out and Yash Punja came in,” He said.
This decision reflects RR’s intention to adjust according to circumstances rather than stick to a fixed combination.
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Lockie Ferguson finally makes his debut in IPL 2026
Punjab Kings also made two important changes in their lineup. captain Shreyas Iyer confirmed it Suryansh Shedge He replaced Shashank Singh, who has struggled to make an impact this season, particularly with inconsistent fielding performances.
However, the big headline for PBKS was the inclusion of the New Zealand pace bowler lockie fergusonWho finally got the first game of IPL 2026. Ferguson replaced Australian fast bowler Xavier Bartlett AAnd adds serious pace and experience to Punjab’s bowling attack.
The Kiwi fast bowler had missed the initial part of the tournament due to personal reasons, but after recently joining the team, he was finally given his chance in this high-pressure encounter.
Shreyas Iyer said on the toss, “Suryansh (Shedge) comes in place of Shashank and Lockie (Ferguson) comes in place of Ax (Xavier Bartlett).”
Playing XI of both the teams
Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (captain), Cooper Connolly, Suryansh Shedge, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Johnson, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Rajasthan Royals: Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Ryan Parag (captain), Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Dasun Shanaka, Joffra Archer, Nandre Berger, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja.
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