IPL 2021: Why are Mayank Agarwal and Ishan Kishan not playing today's MI vs PBKS clash?

In the all-important clash between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) on Tuesday, the two sides made a few tweaks to their playing XIs.

PBKS have left out opener Mayank Agarwal from the team. The team's skipper KL Rahul at the toss explained that Agarwal has a 'stiff back' and therefore wasn't 100% fit to participate in the match.

This could be a substantial blow for the franchise given how the right-hander has been one of their most consistent players this season. In nine games, he has scored 332 runs at an average of just over 41, striking at 142.49.

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On the other hand, Ishan Kishan's snub was purely on the basis of form. The young southpaw hasn't accomplished much in IPL 2021 - 107 runs at 13.89 - despite getting called up to the national side for the T20 World Cup later this year. MI will hope that this break will help him get back to his best once again.

Who has replaced Mayank Agarwal and Ishan Kishan in today's MI vs PBKS clash?

PBKS have brought back Mandeep Singh in the place of Mayank Agarwal. A consistent domestic player, Singh hasn't been able to make much of an impact in IPL but remains one of the key backup batsmen in the PBKS lineup. Overall, he has featured in 104 IPL matches, scoring 1659 runs at 22.12 and a strike rate of 124.27.

MI, meanwhile, have gone back to their veteran batsman Saurabh Tiwary. Tiwary has a similar IPL cast to Singh. He, too, gets temporarily called up whenever a middle-order player is injured or out of form.

Tiwary has played two matches in IPL 2021 so far, scoring 55 runs including a half-century. Overall, he has 1434 runs to his name at an average and strike rate of 28.68 and 120.61 respectively.