Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals locked horns in Match 40 of IPL 2026 at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, with both teams making important changes to their playing combinations. Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag won the toss and chose to field first, hoping to make the most of the surface under lights.
However, one of the biggest talking points before the start of the game was the absence of two key Rajasthan players — Shimron Hetmyer and Ravi Bishnoi. Their omission surprised many fans, especially considering the importance of the fixture in the race for the playoffs.
Why Shimron Hetmyer and Ravi Bishnoi are not playing
Rajasthan Royals decided to go with two fresh faces as Hetmyer and Bishnoi were left out of the playing XI. While captain Parag did not reveal any injury concerns or specific reasons behind the decision, it appeared to be a tactical move based on team balance and match conditions.
Sri Lankan all-rounder Dasun Shanaka replaced Hetmyer in the middle order, giving RR an additional bowling option along with finishing ability. Meanwhile, young spinner Yash Raj Punja came in place of Bishnoi, suggesting the franchise wanted a different spin combination for the conditions in Mullanpur.
Speaking at the toss, Parag confirmed the two changes clearly.
“Two changes. Hetmyer sits out, Dasun Shanaka comes in. And there’s one more change. Bishnoi goes out and Yash Punja comes in,” he said.
The decision reflects RR’s intent to adjust according to conditions rather than sticking with a fixed combination.
Lockie Ferguson finally makes his IPL 2026 debut
Punjab Kings also made two significant changes to their lineup. Captain Shreyas Iyer confirmed that Suryansh Shedge replaced Shashank Singh, who has struggled to make an impact this season, particularly with inconsistent fielding performances.
The bigger headline for PBKS, though, was the inclusion of New Zealand speedster Lockie Ferguson, who finally got his first game of IPL 2026. Ferguson replaced Australian pacer Xavier Bartlett and adds serious pace and experience to Punjab’s bowling attack.
The Kiwi quick had missed the early part of the tournament due to personal reasons, but after joining the squad recently, he was finally handed an opportunity in this high-pressure encounter.
Shreyas Iyer said at the toss, “Suryansh (Shedge) comes in for Shashank and the other one is Lockie (Ferguson) comes in for X (Xavier Bartlett).”
Playing XI of both teams
Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh (wk), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Cooper Connolly, Suryansh Shedge, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Lockie Ferguson, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal
Rajasthan Royals: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja
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