LSG Vs DC: Top Players To Watch Out For As IPL 2026 Arrives At Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium

This year’s IPL kicked off with a bumper opening weekend. And guess who stamped their class over a league that is significantly classified as the league for the younger brigade? It was actually the veterans of the game. Of the top 5 highest run-getters so far, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma find a spot for themselves. But do all franchises have the privilege of utilising their veterans' expertise? As the IPL 2026 reaches its fifth game at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, DC and LSG are hunting for replacements for their old-timers.

Some of these seasoned professionals who signed up for the IPL are suddenly unavailable or will join late due to personal reasons. English player Ben Duckett is the latest addition to this list, and ironically, his franchise is the most affected team from this trend. Apart from Duckett, Aussie speedster Mitchell Starc is waiting for clearance from Cricket Australia. And now the worries are mounting for the team management.

“We are waiting to get the NOC from Cricket Australia. Once we get that, we'll know when he'll join us. Unless Cricket Australia signs off on him that he's fit to play, there is little a franchise can do,” DC head coach Hemang Badani said.

Well, it's not about availability. It's about professional commitment. If you sign up, show up. If you’re unsure, stay out. It's as simple as that. But while DC awaits clarity on key players, the IPL doesn’t pause for uncertainty. The Ekana Stadium is set to host the high-stakes game today, and the stadium itself brings its own story: longer boundaries, assistance to slower bowlers, and innings rewarded for patience over reckless strokeplay.

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is the largest cricket ground in the world with a seating capacity of 1,32,000 spectators. But guess which stadium has the longest boundary of all? The Ekana Stadium in Lucknow has the longest straight boundaries in all of India, around 68-70 meters. That's massive compared to most IPL grounds. This is where Australia suffered their biggest-ever World Cup defeat by 134 runs, where England got bowled out for just 129 in a World Cup match, where Rohit Sharma became the first player ever to score four T20I centuries, and where India's captain called the pitch a "shocker". Built in just under three years, this 50,000-seat fortress went from blueprint to hosting World Cup matches faster than most stadiums get approval. But there’s the irony.

This place isn't actually owned by the government. It's run by a private company on a 35-year lease. And when that lease ends in 2052, they have to give it all back. The history of the stadium is itself a story to listen to. In 2014, Uttar Pradesh had a problem. Despite being India's most populous state with over 200 million people, it had just one international cricket stadium, the Green Park in Kanpur. That's it. For a state that size, that's embarrassing. Then entered the former UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. He announced plans to build a world-class cricket stadium in the capital, Lucknow. But instead of going the traditional government route, they tried something different, a Public-Private Partnership. The deal was simple but clever.

The government gave a private company called Ekana Sportz City a 35-year lease on 71 acres to build and run the cricket stadium. But to make it financially attractive, they also threw in another 66 acres on a 99-year lease for commercial development… malls, hotels, and residential complexes. The idea was that the real estate profits would fund the stadium operations. The budget was ₹360 crores. And somehow, they pulled it off in under three years.

By 2017, the stadium was operational. In November 2018, it hosted its first international match, a T20I between India and the West Indies. Lucknow had international cricket after a 24-year gap. The stadium was originally called just "Ekana," a Sanskrit word meaning unity. But one day before its international debut, politics stepped in.

The new BJP government, led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, renamed it the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium. It was named after the former Prime Minister who represented Lucknow in Parliament. The irony? The project was conceived, funded, and built entirely by the previous Samajwadi Party government, but the BJP government swooped in at the last moment and stamped its name on it. Classic political move. Architecturally, the Ekana Stadium is stunning.

It's got this distinctive wave-patterned tensile roof made from over 30,000 square meters of green and white fabric, manufactured in Germany. The design is completely pillarless, a perfect bowl where every single one of the 50,000 seats has an unobstructed view. The floodlights are mounted on six high masts with special LED optics that eliminate shadows and glare. The broadcasts look crisp and true-to-life. The drainage system is top-notch, capable of clearing heavy rain quickly. But the most talked-about feature of all? The boundaries. The straight boundaries stretch to around 68-70 meters, the longest in India. Square boundaries are around 63-65 meters. For context, most IPL grounds have straight boundaries of 60-65 meters. Those extra meters make a massive difference. Batsmen have to really muscle the ball to clear these ropes.

Once you're inside the Ekana Stadium, it's world-class. Fans rave about the pillar-less design, the clean restrooms, the variety of food stalls, massive LED screens, and the electric atmosphere during big matches. The stadium even has a cricket museum and an art gallery. But getting there is a task in itself. The stadium is located in the Gomti Nagar Extension area, outside central Lucknow. On match days, traffic becomes a nightmare. Public transport links are poor. While there's parking space, it's often poorly managed, forcing fans to walk long distances.

In November 2024, the stadium was fined ₹5 lakhs for environmental violations during a music concert. Inspectors found unsegregated waste scattered everywhere and, most seriously, a tanker dumping wastewater from portable toilets directly into a nearby drain... yes.. let that sink in. It was a complete failure of event management. So what's the future of the Ekana Stadium?

Uttar Pradesh is building new international stadiums in Varanasi and Gorakhpur. Once they're completed, Ekana will have to share major matches. It'll likely remain the primary home for Lucknow Super Giants, but the monopoly on big international fixtures in the state will end. Whether you love it for Rohit Sharma's heroics and those monster boundaries, or criticize it for traffic nightmares, one thing is certain: Ekana isn't boring. Now, when it is about to host the first game of the IPL 2026 for the LSG, let's see the players who can create an impact in this stadium.

Rishabh Pant is an Indian wicketkeeper-batter known for his aggressive and entertaining style of play. He holds several records, including being the fastest Indian wicketkeeper to score 1,000 Test runs and the first to score Test centuries in both England and Australia. He was also part of India's 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy winning squads. In the 2025 IPL auction, Lucknow Super Giants bought him for a record-breaking ₹27 Crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history. He captains the LSG side and was retained at the same price for the 2026 season.

Aiden Markram is a South African cricketer who bats at the top of the order and captains South Africa's T20I team. He led his country to the 2024 T20 World Cup final and the 2026 semi-finals. In Tests, he was the first South African to score two centuries in his first three matches. In the IPL, he played for Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad before joining Lucknow Super Giants in 2025 for ₹2 Crore. He had a strong season, scoring 445 runs in 13 matches. LSG were happy with his performance and kept him for the 2026 season at the same price.

Nicholas Pooran is a West Indian wicketkeeper-batter known for hitting the ball incredibly hard. He is one of the most destructive finishers in T20 cricket and is the all-time leading run-scorer for the West Indies in T20Is. In the IPL, he played for Punjab Kings and Sunrisers Hyderabad before joining Lucknow Super Giants. In the 2025 season, he was outstanding, scoring 524 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 196.25 and hitting the most sixes in the tournament (40). LSG valued him so highly that they retained him for a massive ₹21 Crore ahead of the 2026 season.

Mohammad Shami is an experienced Indian fast bowler known for swinging the ball both ways with a perfectly upright seam. He has taken 462 international wickets across his career. His best IPL season came in 2023 with the Gujarat Titans, where he took 28 wickets and won the Purple Cap. He was bought by Sunrisers Hyderabad for ₹10 Crore in the 2025 auction but was later traded to Lucknow Super Giants before the 2026 season, keeping the same salary. In 119 IPL matches so far, he has taken 133 wickets, and his best bowling figures are 4/11.

Digvesh Rathi is a young leg-spinner playing for Lucknow Super Giants. He bowls in an unusual and hard-to-read style, similar to Sunil Narine, which is why he is called a "mystery" bowler. In the 2025 IPL season, his debut year, he was a surprise package, bought for just ₹30 lakh, he took 14 wickets in 13 matches with an economy rate of 8.25. He also became popular with fans for his fun and unique "notebook" celebration after taking wickets. Despite being relatively unknown before the season, he quickly became one of LSG's most important bowlers.

The ‘DC Toli’, led by Axar Patel, has retained the core of their 2025 squad. After finishing fifth last year at the points table, we will be aiming to score big this season. Here are the top five players who can give a good hand to DC’s innings tonight against the LSG.

KL Rahul is one of the best batters in modern IPL cricket, known for his elegant style and powerful hitting. He made history in 2018 by scoring the fastest IPL fifty in just 14 balls. He has crossed 500 runs in six different seasons, including a brilliant 2020 campaign where he won the Orange Cap and scored 132*, the highest score by an Indian in the tournament at that time. Delhi Capitals bought him for ₹14 Crore in the 2025 auction, and he delivered immediately, scoring 539 runs, including a stunning 112*. He has been retained for 2026 and will remain the backbone of Delhi's batting lineup.

David Miller is a world-class left-handed power-hitter from South Africa, famous for finishing matches in impossible situations. In 2013, he smashed a 38-ball century for Punjab Kings, the fourth-fastest in IPL history. Over the years, he has played for Punjab Kings, Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans, and Lucknow Super Giants. He was part of the Gujarat Titans' title-winning team in 2022. Delhi Capitals picked him up for ₹2 Crore ahead of the 2026 season. With over 3,000 IPL runs and a career strike rate of around 138, his experience and ability to win matches in tough situations will be extremely valuable for Delhi.

Kuldeep Yadav is one of the most skillful spin bowlers in the IPL, known for his tricky googlies and ability to turn the ball on any pitch. He has been the Delhi Capitals' most dangerous bowler for several seasons, most notably taking 21 wickets in 2022. He also played a key role in India's 2024 T20 World Cup title win, finishing as their leading spin wicket-taker. In the 2025 season, he was Delhi's top wicket-taker with 15 scalps at an impressive economy rate. Delhi Capitals have retained him for the 2026 season, and he will once again be their most important weapon with the ball.

Nitish Rana is an aggressive left-handed batter from Delhi who can also bowl useful off-spin. He has been part of two IPL title-winning teams, the Mumbai Indians in 2017 and the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2024, showing that he performs when it matters most. He is known for his attacking play against spin and his ability to anchor the middle order. Delhi Capitals acquired him from Rajasthan Royals through a trade for ₹4.2 Crore ahead of the 2026 season. Being a local Delhi boy, his familiarity with the Arun Jaitley Stadium will give him an added advantage as DC push for their first-ever IPL title.

Lungi Ngidi is a tall and fast right-arm pace bowler from Durban, South Africa. He is known for his ability to swing the new ball and bowl effective slower deliveries, making him dangerous in both the powerplay and death overs. He made a big impact in the IPL during Chennai Super Kings' 2018 title-winning campaign, taking 11 wickets in just seven matches at an average of 14.18. After a stint with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru in 2025, Delhi Capitals signed him for ₹2 Crore ahead of the 2026 season. Alongside Mitchell Starc and Mukesh Kumar, he will form a strong and experienced pace attack for Delhi.

Lucknow Super Giants: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Anrich Nortje, Avesh Khan, Mohammad Shami, Mayank Yadav, Digvesh Rathi.

Delhi Capitals: Pathum Nissanka, KL Rahul (WK), Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Axar Patel (C), Vipraj Nigam, Ashutosh Sharma, Auqib Nabi, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi