Lucknow Super Giants Hold Slim Playoff Hopes with Three Games to Go
Lucknow, May 18 – With their IPL 2025 playoff hopes hanging by a thread, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in a crucial league match on Monday. The spotlight will firmly be on LSG captain Rishabh Pant, who is looking to bounce back from a disappointing season with both bat and leadership responsibilities.Rishabh Pant Looks to Reset Amid Form Slump
Pant, who fetched a record ₹27 crore in last year's auction, has struggled to justify the price tag, managing just 128 runs from 11 matches at a strike rate below 100 and an average of 12.80. The underwhelming performance has raised concerns, especially with his name being considered for the Test vice-captaincy. Monday’s match offers Pant a timely opportunity to recalibrate his game and lead from the front.A recent break may have helped the wicketkeeper-batter regroup and reassess his approach. For LSG to keep their playoff dream alive, Pant’s return to form will be crucial.
LSG’s Narrow Route to the Playoffs
Lucknow Super Giants need to win all three of their remaining matches to reach 16 points, but their negative net run rate of -0.469 means they must win convincingly. Anything less than dominance in all remaining games could derail their campaign.Nicholas Pooran, Bowling Unit Under Scanner
The team will also hope for a resurgence from Nicholas Pooran, who started the season well but has faded recently. With 410 runs so far, Pooran's contributions in the next few games will be pivotal.In the bowling department, injuries and inconsistency have hurt LSG. The inclusion of New Zealand pacer William O’Rourke offers some relief, stepping in for the injured Mayank Yadav. Digvesh Rathi has been a standout with 12 wickets at an economy of 8.09, but others like Ravi Bishnoi (10+ economy rate) and Avesh Khan (10 wickets at 10.10 economy) have struggled. Akash Deep was dropped after conceding runs at 12.25 per over across four games.
SRH Play for Pride, Young Guns Seek Impact
While SRH are already out of the playoff race, they will be playing for pride and to iron out flaws in their squad. Players like Nitish Kumar Reddy and Ishan Kishan will aim to build momentum ahead of India A’s England tour. Meanwhile, Abhishek Sharma (311 runs) will be keen to make a statement after being overlooked for that very tour.Key Players to Watch
- LSG: Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Digvesh Rathi, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Ayush Badoni
- SRH: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Pat Cummins
Match Details
- Fixture: Lucknow Super Giants vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
- Date: Monday, May 19
- Time: 7:30 PM IST
- Venue: Ekana Stadium, Lucknow
Squads
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Pat Cummins (c), Ishan Kishan (wk), Travis Head, Heinrich Klaasen, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Shami, Harshal Patel, Rahul Chahar, and others.Lucknow Super Giants: Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Ravi Bishnoi, and others.
With stakes high and time running out, the Monday night clash could define LSG’s IPL 2025 journey — and perhaps signal a turnaround in Rishabh Pant’s personal and professional narrative.