SRH have made surprising changes for their IPL 2026 clash against PBKS, leaving out Liam Livingstone. Fans are questioning the decision as Salil Arora returns and Praful Hinge replaces Jaydev Unadkat.
In a surprising move ahead of the IPL 2026 contest between Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad, England all-rounder Liam Livingstone has not been included in SRH’s playing XI. The decision was confirmed at the toss by captain Ishan Kishan, who revealed that Salil Arora has returned to the side in place of Livingstone. However, no official explanation has been provided for the omission, leaving fans and analysts speculating about the reasoning behind it.
Livingstone, who featured in SRH’s previous match against Lucknow Super Giants, managed only 14 runs off 20 balls while batting at No. 4. His exclusion today has raised eyebrows, given his reputation as a power-hitter and match-winner. Alongside Livingstone, Jaydev Unadkat has also been left out, with Praful Hinge coming into the XI as a direct replacement.
Impact Substitutes and Team Adjustments
Both Livingstone and Unadkat have been named among the impact substitutes, but Kishan confirmed that Hinge would replace Unadkat, ruling out their participation in the starting lineup. This reshuffle highlights SRH’s attempt to balance their squad after a disappointing outing in their last match.
Punjab Kings, meanwhile, have stuck with a settled combination. Their lineup features Priyansh Arya, Prabhsimran Singh, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Arshdeep Singh, and Yuzvendra Chahal. The impact substitutes for PBKS include Nehal Wadhera, Vishnu Vinod, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, and Harpreet Brar.
SRH’s XI today consists of Travis Head, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Heinrich Klaasen, Salil Arora, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Harshal Patel, and Eshan Malinga. Their impact subs are Jaydev Unadkat, Liam Livingstone, Shivam Mavi, Praful Hinge, and Kamindu Mendis.
Punjab Kings In Form, SRH Seek Revival
Punjab Kings enter this fixture with momentum, having collected five points from three matches, including two wins. Their last game against Lucknow Super Giants was washed out due to rain, but they remain in strong form.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, on the other hand, are looking to bounce back after suffering defeat to Lucknow in their previous outing. With one win and two losses so far, SRH’s campaign has been inconsistent, and the decision to leave out Livingstone adds further intrigue to their strategy.