Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will take on Gujarat Titans (GT) in Match 26 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday, April 12.
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Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans: Preview
Twenty-five matches into IPL 2025, the top four run-getters hail from the top orders of Gujarat Titans (GT) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). What’s even more surprising is that Shubman Gill doesn’t feature among them. This unexpected trend has enabled both sides to navigate and compensate for weaknesses in their batting line-ups.
In IPL 2025, home advantage has been elusive for most teams—except Delhi Capitals—regardless of their standing on the points table. For several franchises, deciphering the nature of their home turf has been a challenge, with conditions often clashing with their squad’s strengths. Navigating home pitches has proven anything but straightforward, and on Saturday, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will look to crack the code once again.
LSG’s campaign began with a dramatic loss to Punjab Kings, prompting a headline-grabbing comment from Zaheer Khan. A switch from a red soil pitch to black soil yielded a win in their next home outing, though it didn’t come with the level of dominance they might have hoped for. Victories on the road in Hyderabad and Kolkata have kept them within touching distance of the top four, despite currently being outside the playoff zone.
As the league stage intensifies and teams scramble to climb the table, LSG’s bowling might come under greater scrutiny. Their high-investment Indian pace attack has delivered just enough in two of their three wins but has been underwhelming in both of their losses. With the batting unit currently doing most of the heavy lifting, there’s a looming danger that a one-dimensional performance could prove costly in the longer run.
While franchises with richer legacies and more dramatic storylines have dominated headlines, Gujarat Titans (GT) have quietly gone about their business, steadily climbing to the top of the table—much like their title-winning run in 2022. In contrast, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have had a start that eerily resembles their underwhelming 2024 campaign, marked by inconsistency from the outset.
GT head coach Ashish Nehra will be hoping to replicate the momentum his side found three seasons ago, when they secured 16 out of the first 20 points on offer, effectively pulling ahead of the chasing pack. LSG, meanwhile, will be desperate to chart a different course from last year, beginning with a crucial home win on Saturday afternoon that could help them stabilize their form and revive their playoff ambitions.
For LSG, the unexpected yet effective pairing of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh has added depth to their batting, amplifying the impact of Nicholas Pooran’s explosive finishes while offsetting Rishabh Pant’s lean patch with the bat.
Nicholas Pooran boasts a career T20 strike rate of 150.08 across 363 innings, but that figure dips to 132.52 at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow, where he has scored 273 runs in 16 innings. Interestingly, the venue seems to bring the best out of Ayush Badoni—his career T20 strike rate of 135.43 climbs to 142.07 in Lucknow, with 287 runs in 18 innings.
Rashid Khan has bowled just one over in the powerplay this season, but considering LSG’s top order, an earlier introduction might be worth exploring. Marsh, Markram, and Pooran all have strike rates under 120 against him, with Pooran falling to Rashid twice in 66 balls. While Rashid has only recently begun to find form after a slow start, using him earlier could be a smart move to target LSG’s key overseas batters before they settle.
While most teams this season are aggressively looking to score consistently throughout the innings, GT have stuck to a more traditional T20 strategy. B Sai Sudharsan, who was named Player of the Match for his 82-run knock in GT’s win over Rajasthan Royals (RR), explained, “We try to keep a lot of wickets in hand and go all out in the last five overs.”
Thanks to consistent contributions from either Gill, Sai Sudharsan, or Jos Buttler—each having registered a fifty in all five of GT’s games so far—the middle order has rarely been under pressure. Yet, that hasn’t made their approach predictable. After the previous game, GT assistant coach Parthiv Patel remarked, “There are no fixed roles. We have a top three, but we constantly reshuffle the batting order depending on the match situation and pitch conditions.”
That adaptability was on full display when Washington Sundar was elevated to No. 4 in the win against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he smashed 49 off 29 deliveries. In contrast, during the game against RR, Shahrukh Khan stepped into the role and capitalized on a strong platform with a brisk 36 off 20 balls.
Speaking of heavy lifting, Gujarat Titans have relied heavily on their top three and impact substitute Sherfane Rutherford to pile on the runs in their victories—until their last game, that is. In a rare instance of a top-order failure, Shahrukh Khan and Rahul Tewatia stepped up to steer the innings and help post a winning total. Like LSG, GT too field an all-Indian pace attack in the absence of Kagiso Rabada, and the unit has delivered effectively, playing a key role in four of their wins so far.
Rashid Khan also holds a strong record against Rishabh Pant, having dismissed him three times while conceding just 114 runs off 103 balls across 15 innings. His dominance extends to David Miller as well, whom he has removed four times in 59 deliveries, giving away only 67 runs.
Shubman Gill has a solid record against LSG, tallying 176 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 139.68. Meanwhile, despite his struggles this season, Rishabh Pant has enjoyed facing GT in the past, having scored 147 runs in just three innings at an impressive strike rate of 177.1.
Both sides have had to adapt, compromise, and dig deep to stay competitive. Saturday’s clash may well be decided by which team manages to mask its flaws better—and which home track throws up fewer surprises.
Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans: Head-to-Head
LSG trail GT 1-4 in head-to-head meetings. Their sole victory came at this very venue last season, where they defended a total of 163/5.
- Matches Played: 5
- Won by Lucknow Super Giants: 1
- Won by Gujarat Titans: 4
- Tied: 0
- No Result: 0
- First-ever Fixture: March 28, 2022
- Most-recent Fixture: April 7, 2024
Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans: Pitch Report and Weather Conditions
Rain might make a brief appearance in the evening, but a significant delay is not expected. So far in Lucknow this season, pacers have claimed 15 wickets compared to just six by spinners. Following criticism from Rishabh Pant and LSG mentor Zaheer Khan over the lack of spin support in their loss to Punjab Kings, a black-soil pitch was used. However, that match still saw spinners take only two out of ten wickets in a high-scoring 472-run contest. With this being a day game, spinners could have a more influential role this time around.
On the eve of the match, the ground staff ran rollers over two pitches — one black soil, the other a mixed surface — likely in preparation for the upcoming fixture against CSK just a day later, on April 14. Later in the evening, there was slightly more attention given to the black-soil track adjacent to the centre wicket. Nonetheless, both pitches were eventually covered in the same manner.
Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans: Team News and Predicted XI
Lucknow Super Giants – Team News
Mayank Yadav remains unavailable, and Lucknow Super Giants are expected to stick with the same XII from their previous match. They do have the option of introducing left-arm spinner Manimaran Siddharth to counter GT’s right-handed heavy top order.
Avesh Khan could play a key role with the new ball. Since 2022, he has dismissed Shubman Gill twice in 51 deliveries, conceding only 64 runs in T20s. While Jos Buttler has scored 43 off 23 balls against him, Avesh has also managed to dismiss him three times. Additionally, GT’s No.4 Shahrukh Khan has fallen to Avesh twice in just seven deliveries.
Lucknow Super Giants – Predicted XI
- Aiden Markram
- Mitchell Marsh
- Nicholas Pooran
- Rishabh Pant (capt, wk)
- Ayush Badoni
- David Miller
- Abdul Samad
- Shardul Thakur
- Avesh Khan
- Akash Deep
- Digvesh Rathi
- Ravi Bishnoi
Gujarat Titans – Team News
Kagiso Rabada remains unavailable after departing for South Africa last week due to personal reasons. GT fielded four seamers against the Royals, a decision Parthiv Patel attributed to the seam-friendly conditions in Ahmedabad. However, with Lucknow expected to offer less assistance to pacers, Washington Sundar is likely to come in for one of the quicks.
Despite a relatively quiet start to the season, Rashid Khan could be GT’s key weapon against Nicholas Pooran, who leads the six-hitting charts with 24 maximums—nine more than the next best, Mitchell Marsh. While Rashid’s leg-spin typically turns into Pooran’s hitting arc, the Afghan has maintained control over him in T20s since 2022, dismissing him twice while giving away just 77 runs off 66 balls.
Gujarat Titans – Predicted XI
- Shubman Gill (capt)
- B Sai Sudharsan
- Jos Buttler (wk)
- Sherfane Rutherford
- Shahrukh Khan
- Rahul Tewatia
- Washington Sundar
- Rashid Khan
- R Sai Kishore
- Mohammed Siraj
- Prasidh Krishna
- Arshad Khan/Kulwant Khejroliya
Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans: Players To Watch Out For
Digvesh Rathi (Lucknow Super Giants)
Digvesh Rathi has featured in seven T20s, with five of those appearances coming in IPL 2025. While his animated celebrations have stirred some debate, his performances speak for themselves. With an economy rate of 7.75—the best among all LSG bowlers this season—his impact has been undeniable.
Even in the high-scoring clash against Kolkata Knight Riders, where a total of 472 runs were scored, he maintained a respectable economy of 8.25. Though Ravi Bishnoi continues to be LSG’s lead legspinner, Rathi’s growing influence is hard to ignore.
Prasidh Krishna (Gujarat Titans)
Prasidh Krishna’s height and pace have given Gujarat Titans a distinct edge during the middle overs. His ability to hit the deck hard and extract extra bounce has consistently troubled batters, forcing them onto the back foot.
With five wickets in his last two outings, he heads into the clash as a genuine threat to Lucknow’s middle order.
Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans: Prediction
Scenario 1
- Toss: Lucknow Super Giants win the toss and bowl first
- Powerplay Score: 45-55
- Gujarat Titans Total: 180-200
- Match Result: Lucknow Super Giants win the match
Scenario 2
- Toss: Gujarat Titans win the toss and bowl first
- Powerplay Score: 50-60
- Lucknow Super Giants Total: 185-195
- Match Result: Gujarat Titans win the match
When and Where To Watch Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans LIVE? Broadcast and Streaming Details
The Indian Premier League 2025 clash between Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans is set to begin at 3:30 PM IST on Saturday, April 12, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow. The match will be broadcast live on the Star Sports network and will also be available for live streaming on JioHotstar for FREE.
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FAQs
What is the head-to-head record between LSG and GT in the IPL?
Gujarat Titans lead the head-to-head with 4 wins in 5 matches, while Lucknow Super Giants have won just once.
Is Mayank Yadav playing for LSG in their next IPL 2025 match?
No, Mayank Yadav remains unavailable for selection.
How effective has Digvesh Rathi been for LSG this IPL season?
Digvesh Rathi has impressed with a 7.75 economy rate, the best among LSG bowlers in IPL 2025.
Why might Washington Sundar play for GT in Lucknow?
With Lucknow’s pitch being less seam-friendly, Washington Sundar could replace one of the quicks.
How has Rashid Khan performed against Nicholas Pooran in T20s since 2022?
Rashid has dismissed Pooran twice while conceding just 77 runs off 66 balls.
