Could Anukul Roy Make a Difference as Delhi Capitals Bowl First Against KKR in IPL 2025?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Delhi Capitals opted to bowl first after winning the toss.
- Anukul Roy was included in KKR's lineup.
- DC is aiming for their second win of the season.
- Axar Patel emphasized focusing on execution of plans.
- Pitch conditions are crucial for gameplay strategy.
New Delhi, April 29 (NationPress) The Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have brought in the uncapped left-arm spinner Anukul Roy as the unchanged Delhi Capitals (DC) won the toss and opted to bowl first in match 48 of the IPL 2025 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday.
DC currently holds 12 points after nine matches but has faced defeat in two out of three games played at their home ground during IPL 2025. A victory today will elevate their points to 14 and secure their second win of the season in New Delhi.
Following the toss, captain Axar Patel remarked, “Batting in the second innings is easier due to dew. The wicket appears slow and doesn't seem dry, resembling a 190-200 pitch.”
“We will evaluate the conditions to limit the opposition's score. Staying present is crucial; we must focus on our process instead of the results. Execution of our plans is key.”
KKR captain Ajinkya Rahane stated that Roy is replacing pacer Vaibhav Arora, who is now on the impact substitutes list. The defending champions have only seven points from nine games and require multiple wins to remain in the playoff race.
“Reading the wicket is challenging; I believe the left-arm spinner will suit this surface well. We need to win all five remaining matches. Our approach is to take it one game at a time and adapt quickly to conditions,” he stated.
Today's match will occur on pitch number five, with square boundaries measuring 63m and 62m and the straight boundary at 67m. Commentators Ian Bishop and Nick Knight commented that the pitch appears compact and shiny.
Playing XIs
Delhi Capitals: Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel (wk), Karun Nair, KL Rahul, Axar Patel (captain), Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Dushmantha Chameera, and Mukesh Kumar
Impact Substitutes: Ashutosh Sharma, Jake Fraser McGurk, Tripurana Vijay, Sameer Rizvi, and Donovan Ferreira
Kolkata Knight Riders: Rahmanullah Gurbaz (wk), Sunil Narine, Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Venkatesh Iyer, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Andre Russell, Rovman Powell, Harshit Rana, Anukul Roy, and Varun Chakaravarthy
Impact Substitutes: Manish Pandey, Luvnith Sisodia, Mayank Markande, Vaibhav Arora, and Ramandeep Singh