LSG Vs RR IPL 2026 Match Preview: Pitch Report, Predicted Playing XI, Head-to-Head & Weather at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium
LSG is ready to take on RR in IPL 2026 Match 32 at Lucknow's Ekana Stadium. Get the full pitch report, predicted playing XIs, head-to-head stats, weather update, and match preview.
LSG currently sit 8th on the points table, while RR are 3rd after a strong start under captain Riyan Parag. Rishabh Pant's side desperately needs a win at home to revive their playoff hopes. LSG have lost two matches in a row and sit on just 4 points from 5 games. Their batting has been a concern. Rishabh Pant is scoring at a strike rate of just 122 this season, while the middle order of Nicholas Pooran and Abdul Samad has collectively managed poor returns. Rajasthan Royals, on the other hand, arrive at Ekana on the back of 4 wins from 5 games and remain the most dangerous batting unit in IPL 2026.
About the stadium
The Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee (BRSABV) Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow is a unique IPL venue. It is not your typical flat, high-scoring ground. The pitch is made of black soil, which naturally slows the ball down. The stadium has a great atmosphere and a loyal home crowd that always gets behind LSG loudly. A total of 26 matches have been played here, out of which 16 have been won by the chasing team and only 10 by the team batting first. So this is very much a bowler-friendly ground, and smart cricket matters more than big hitting here.
Pitch Report
The Ekana surface traditionally favours spin and slower batting. The pitch offers reasonable batting in the power play, but slows down significantly from the 8th over onwards. Spinners dominate in the second innings, and totals above 170 become difficult to chase here, with 180-plus putting chasing teams under serious pressure. The black-soil surface means the ball grips a bit, and the pace slows down as the match progresses. The team that quickly understands that control matters more than power tends to win here. Simply put, if you're batting first, 165–175 is a competitive total. If you're chasing, patience in the middle overs is key.
Weather Update
On Wednesday, April 22, the area around Ekana Cricket Stadium will see a very hot and sunny day, with temperatures ranging between a high of 35°C and a low of around 27°C. No rain is expected. Clear and warm conditions are expected with no rain threat, though moderate dew may play a factor in the final overs. Dew in the second innings can make life easier for the chasing team and harder for spinners, which could influence the toss decision.
Head-to-Head
The Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals have faced each other 6 times, with RR winning 4 and LSG winning 2, including the win in their only IPL 2025 match-up. RR clearly has the upper hand in this rivalry.
Predicted Playing XIs
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (C & WK), Ayush Badoni, Matthew Breetzke, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav, Manimaran Siddharth, Mohsin Khan
Rajasthan Royals (RR) Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag (C), Shimron Hetmyer, Ravindra Jadeja, Donovan Ferreira, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Brijesh Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Sandeep Sharma
Key Players to Watch
For LSG: Prince Yadav is LSG's leading wicket-taker this season with 11 wickets in 6 matches. Mukul Choudhary has been LSG's most reliable batter with 148 runs, including a match-winning half-century against KKR.
For RR: Vaibhav Suryavanshi leads the Orange Cap race with 200 runs at an extraordinary strike rate of 236, hitting 24 fours and 20 sixes already this season. Ravi Bishnoi is also in the leading wicket-taker list in IPL 2026 with 10 wickets, on a surface tailor-made for his leg-spin.
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