Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will have to make a decision between Kyle Mayers and Deepak Hooda to open the batting with KL Rahul in their first two games of IPL 2023, as Quinton de Kock is unavailable due to national duty. De Kock will be playing South Africa’s two ICC World Cup qualifier games against Netherlands on March 31 and April 2, which means LSG will have to manage without him against Delhi Capitals on March 1 and Chennai Super Kings on March 3. A source close to LSG camp suggested that Mayers, who has a decent strike rate of close to 135 in T20Is and is also a left-hander, is the best option to partner Rahul in the first two games. However, if LSG wants to play their overseas stars in the middle-order and bowling, Hooda seems to be a perfect fit alongside Rahul. In addition, pacer Mohsin Khan is expected to miss at least the first leg of the tournament, but he might be available for the second phase. During the tournament, Yudhvir Singh Charak or Yash Thakur might be tried out depending on team’s situation and pitch conditions.
