IPL 2026: Rishabh Pant's LSG to bowl first vs CSK on 'tacky' pitch

Lucknow Super Giants won the toss and chose to bowl first against Chennai Super Kings in their IPL 2026 match. LSG captain Rishabh Pant cited a tacky pitch, while CSK's Ruturaj Gaikwad said a score of 170-180 would be challenging.

Toss and Captains' Comments

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) won the toss and opted to bowl first against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in both teams' Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match on Friday at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. LSG captain Rishabh Pant said after winning the toss that they chose to bowl first because the pitch looks slightly tacky and difficult for batting. He acknowledged that the team has underperformed this season but stressed that they are focused on building trust, experimenting for the future, and giving maximum effort. Pant added that while there have been positives as well, LSG need continuous improvement every day as things haven't gone their way so far.

"We are looking to bowl first. Wicket is looking little bit tacky, so didn't want us to go out there and bat. We have lot to achieve as a team. We are a team that runs on trust, we are trying few things for the next season, and give our 200%. There is no running away from the way we have played this season, but there are lot of positives. We know we have it as a team, but it hasn't worked, we have to improve each and every day," Pant said at the toss presentations.

CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad said it is a privilege to play in the yellow jersey and noted that the Lucknow venue requires strong performances in both batting and bowling. He observed some early moisture in the pitch and suggested that a score around 170-180 would be competitive if they get a good start. Gaikwad also emphasised that CSK have been in a must-win situation for a while and are focusing on taking each match one at a time.

"It is a privilege to have (the support), privilege to wear the yellow jersey. It is a venue where you have to bat and bowl well. There is a bit of moisture to start, but if we start well and get to 170-180, then it would be a challenging total. It has been a must-win for a while now and we want to take it one game at a time," Gaikwad said.

Team Standings and Match Context

LSG find themselves at the bottom of the IPL 2026 points table and don't have much. Having been eliminated from the tournament, they now have the opportunity to experiment in the remaining games, helping them assess their shortcomings and prepare for a stronger comeback next season.

CSK, meanwhile, began the 2026 season with three consecutive defeats but have staged an impressive recovery and are once again in contention for the title. To strengthen their chances of reaching the playoffs, CSK must defeat LSG, a result that would keep their hopes of finishing in the top four alive in the competition.

LSG vs CSK: Playing XIs

LSG vs CSK playing 11s: LSG: Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Mukul Choudhary, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohammed Shami, Mayank Yadav, Akash Maharaj Singh, Prince Yadav. LSG Impact Sub options: Josh Inglis, M Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Himmat Singh, Ayush Badoni.

CSK playing 11: Sanju Samson(w), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Shivam Dube, Prashant Veer, Anshul Kamboj, Noor Ahmad, Spencer Johnson, Mukesh Choudhary CSK Impact Sub options: Gurjapneet Singh, Akeal Hosein, Sarfaraz Khan, Matthew Short, Matt Henry. (ANI)

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