PBKS pose first test for LSG in trickier terrains of Lucknow

Shardul Thakur pulled no punches while addressing the growing imbalance between bat and ball in the IPL. "All that the bowlers are asking is to prepare the pitch in such a manner that the game hangs in balance, and it should not be just one-sided where batters are coming and smashing us," the all-rounder said ahead of Lucknow Super Giants' first home game this season. "Because all we want is a fair chance and fair opportunity in the game."

In that context, he would be pleased to play seven home matches this season at a venue that, across the last two IPL editions, has recorded the lowest first-innings average (165), the lowest run rate (8.17) and the second-lowest runs per wicket (24.53) among all 14 venues.

To be fair, Lucknow as a city leaves very little room for complaint, except maybe if you are a batter. What the occasionally difficult and largely inconsistent playing surfaces here have done is prevent the LSG batters from truly imposing themselves on the opposition, despite possessing the skills to do that. Only seven wins in 13 completed home matches points to a lot of room for improvement, something that LSG would be keen to do, especially with five of their next seven matches scheduled in Lucknow.

What could make things trickier for LSG besides reading the pitch is the opposition they will face first up. Lately, Punjab Kings have thrived at most places that's not Mohali or Mullanpur, and they arrive in Lucknow on the back of a famous win in Ahmedabad. It was a night that saw Shreyas Iyer play a bonafide captain's knock, where he punished spin and pace while dismissing any thoughts of a maiden IPL hundred that might have come at the team's cost.

But Iyer's innings, Shashank Singh's whirlwind finish and Vijaykumar Vyshak's match-turning spell of yorkers all feel so distant, with PBKS having a week-long gap since. Fast bowling coach James Hopes felt it gave them time to prepare for a "spin heavy" challenge in Lucknow, but how the long break so early in the season will manifest in the middle is anybody's guess.

When: LSG v PBKS, Match 13, on 1 April, 2025, at 7:30 PM local

Where: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow

What to expect: A red-soil pitch that's not located centrally on the square, so the bowlers will have their task cut out defending the shorter side of the ground. That said, this is one of the biggest grounds in India and that should bring some relief to the bowling clan left huffing and puffing in this era of Impact Players. There hasn't been much dew at the ground in the three days leading up to the match, and another such day is likely on the cards. The weather is set to be fair.

Head to head: LSG 3 - 1 PBKS. When the teams met in Lucknow last year, also the first home game for LSG, the hosts won by 21 runs, with tearaway quick Mayank Yadav winning the Player of the Match.

Team Watch:

Lucknow Super Giants

Injury and availability concerns:Akash Deep seems to be recovering well from his back injury. A week ago, head coach Justin Langer put his fitness at 90 percent, and on match eve, Shahbaz Ahmad was non-committal on his colleague's fitness. The indications are that we won't be seeing Akash Deep in action against PBKS at least.

Tactics & Matchups:Since the last season, Yuzvendra Chahal has had a poor record against left-handers as compared to right-handers, and how he bowls to Nicholas Pooran could be crucial. The vast boundary dimensions will benefit the leg spinner at this venue, where Pooran hasn't exactly enjoyed batting. Over the last couple of seasons, his strike-rate here dips to 128, which is several notches below his overall numbers.

Probable XII:Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav

Punjab Kings

Injury and availability concerns: PBKS have a full squad of players to pick from.

Tactics & Matchups:Lockie Ferguson enjoys a favourable matchup against two key LSG batters - Nicholas Pooran (17 balls, 20 runs, 4 dismissals) and Rishabh Pant (36 balls, 37 runs, 3 dismissals) - and could replace Azmatullah Omarzai.

Probable XII: Prabhsimran Singh (w), Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer (c), Shashank Singh, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Suryansh Shedge, Lockie Ferguson/Azmatullah Omarzai, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vijaykumar Vyshak/Harpreet Brar

Did you know?

- Only once has a total of 200 been scored in Lucknow across 14 games (by KKR in 2024).

- Shashank Singh has the second highest SR, and highest by an Indian batter, in death overs (16-20) in IPL since 2024.

- Since 2024, nearly 38 percent of Arshdeep Singh's deliveries in the death overs (16-20) have been dot balls.

What they said

"There is a lot of challenge to contend with, not just for spinners but for all bowlers, especially since the impact player rule has been added. Nowadays, there is no pressure on batters and they have started preparing themselves mentally. For bowlers, if they get a big ground, they can use it and it is expected that bowlers will use Ekana in that way." - Shahbaz Ahmad expects a relatively easier life for bowlers in Lucknow.

"From a captaincy viewpoint, he keeps everything calm on the field. The bowlers were raving about it after the first game, how clear he is with his communication, how calm he is when the ball is flying around, when the game gets on the line." - James Hopes is in awe of Shreyas the captain, with whom he's worked before at Delhi Capitals.