IPL 2025: Rishabh Pant`s performance under scrutiny as LSG take on DC at Ekana

It will be a homecoming of sorts for KL Rahul, who until last season was the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and, after much heartburn, left the franchise and was picked by Delhi Capitals (DC) at the auction. On the other hand, Rishabh Pant, who was the Delhi Capitals skipper, was bagged by LSG at a record price of Rs 27 crore and named captain in place of Rahul. The two interchangers will be face to face when LSG host DC here on Tuesday night.

DC’s Rahul in fine form

Though Rahul is no longer a captain, the battle between the two will be an interesting sub-plot in a revenge match  of sorts for LSG, after the latter had lost to DC in their opening game in Vizag. By no stretch of the imagination is it going to be easy for LSG, as DC, led by Axar Patel, are in cruise mode, having won five of their seven games and in second spot, behind Gujarat Titans.

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Having beaten LSG in Vizag, DC will be wary of a strong comeback by them. Though head-to-head, the two teams are all square at 3-3, DC have lost both their games at Ekana, and would like to make amends. 

LSG face a bit of a problem on the batting front as Mitch Marsh and Orange Cap holder Nicholas Pooran are off the boil. Moreover, Pant has come good in just one game and needs to deliver with the bat. Luckily, batters like Aiden Markram, David Miller, Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad have filled in well and that has given their bowlers good totals to defend. After initial hiccups due to injuries, the bowling unit is shaping up nicely, with Avesh Khan particularly impressive in the decisive final overs, as he showed in the match against the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur on Saturday. 

Mayank to return for LSG

The LSG management is eager to get fit-again Mayank Yadav back on the field, and are waiting for a final clearance from their medical team.  

The biggest positive for DC this season has been Rahul, who is batting with renewed freedom in the absence of captaincy pressure. Moreover, he is batting at two down, instead of opening which seems to have brought him  good results, having scored 266 runs at an average of 53.20 and a decent strike rate of 158.33. Tristan Stubbs has been a revelation, accumulating 183 runs at a strike rate of 160.53. 

On the bowling front, Mitchell Starc has made the difference in crucial stages. His Super Over heroics against Rajasthan Royals and tight bowling at the death have given DC the edge in key moments. Apart from him, Kuldeep Yadav is the leading wicket-taker with 12 wickets at an average of 14.58 and an impressive economy of 6.25. Hailing from Kanpur, the spinner knows the conditions well at the Ekana and will be a major threat to the home batters.