NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant will aim to prove his captaincy potential as Lucknow Super Giants seek their maiden home victory against a formidable Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League match on Tuesday. After becoming IPL’s costliest acquisition at Rs 27 crore, Pant strives to enhance his batting performance following modest displays in initial matches.
His leadership journey at LSG began with a narrow one-wicket defeat against his previous side, Delhi Capitals.
Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!
LSG rebounded impressively with a five-wicket triumph over Sunrisers Hyderabad, propelled by Nicholas Pooran‘s dynamic 70 off 23, Mitchell Marsh’s 52 off 31, and Shardul Thakur’s impactful 4/34 that restrained SRH’s batting momentum.
Despite the team’s positive result, Pant’s personal batting form remains concerning, with scores of 0 and 15 in the opening fixtures. The aggressive Indian batsman aims to respond to critics through his performance.
Pant faces his erstwhile Delhi Capitals mentor Ricky Ponting, now associated with Punjab Kings. The contest features IPL’s two highest-valued players, with Shreyas Iyer leading Punjab Kings.
LSG vs PBKS Squads:
- Lucknow Super Giants: Rishabh Pant (c&wk), David Miller, Aiden Markram, Aryan Juyal, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Mitchell Marsh, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Arshin Kulkarni, Ayush Badoni, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, M Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Akash Singh, Shamar Joseph, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi.
- Punjab Kings: Shreyas Iyer (c), Priyansh Arya, Pyla Avinash, Harnoor Singh, Josh Inglis, Prabhsimran Singh, Vishnu Vinod, Nehal Wadhera, Azmatullah Omarzai, Aaron Hardie, Marco Jansen, Glenn Maxwell, Musheer Khan, Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Suryansh Shedge, Arshdeep Singh, Xavier Bartlett,
Yuzvendra Chahal , Praveen Dubey, Lockie Ferguson, Harpreet Brar, Kuldeep Sen, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Yash Thakur.
Unlike Pant’s current form, Iyer, acquired for Rs 26.75 crore, demonstrated his worth with an unbeaten 97 off 42 deliveries against Gujarat Titans. The successful IPL captain excels at number 3 and intends to maintain his impressive form.
Shashank Singh continued his strong performance from the previous season, whilst Priyansh Arya impressed with a quick 47 on his IPL debut for Punjab.
The batting display received support from India pacer Arshdeep Singh and impact substitute Vijaykumar Vyshak’s precise death bowling.
Ekana Stadium traditionally supports bowlers, particularly spin and slower deliveries. The pitch showed diverse behaviour during last season’s IPL and recent WPL matches.
Both teams’ spin options could significantly influence the match outcome.
Should LSG’s strong batting unit post a competitive total, Ravi Bishnoi, despite recent inconsistency, must deliver breakthrough performances alongside promising leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi, who impressed in last year’s Delhi Premier League.
The home side could utilise left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed, with Aiden Markram providing additional spin options.
Punjab’s spin arsenal features experienced Yuzvendra Chahal, complemented by Glenn Maxwell’s off-spin. Their pace bowling resources remain abundant, with Iyer employing seven bowlers against GT.
Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.
