Lucknow, Apr 12: Lucknow Super Giants have won the toss and elected to bowl first against Gujarat Titans in match 26 of the IPL 2025 season at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Saturday.

Shubman Gill’s Titans are perched at the top of the points table with four wins on the trot while Rishabh Pant’s LSG, currently fifth, are riding a wave of momentum after back-to-back victories.

Lucknow were dealt with a major blow as Mitchell Marsh, the in-form opener who has scored 265 runs in five games, missed out as his daughter was unwell, and was replaced by Himmat Singh.

“The wicket looks good, Happy to win the last two matches. As a team, we talk about the process and the team is responding well now. Bowlers have done a really good job, we have to give credit to them. Instead of Mitchell Marsh, Himmat Singh comes in. His daughter is not well,” said Pant at the toss.

This fixture features several fascinating individual battles. None more eye-catching than Nicholas Pooran vs Mohammed Siraj - the tournament’s top run-scorer versus the most effective new-ball bowler. Pooran has smashed 288 runs at a strike rate of 225, including 24 sixes, while Siraj has picked up 10 wickets in five matches, often striking early with Test-match precision.

Gill admitted at the toss that he too would have liked to have a bowl first and revealed that Washington Sundar will once again find his place in the starting XI.

“I would have bowled first as well. I don't think the wicket is going to change much. Everyone is contributing, that's been one of the hallmarks for us, Washi comes in for Kulwant,” said Gill.

Playing XIs

Lucknow Super Giants: Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (wk/c), Himmat Singh, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Akash Deep, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi.

Impact Subs: Ayush Badoni, Prince Yadav, Shahbaz Ahmed, Matthew Breetzke, Shamar Joseph.

Gujarat Titans: Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (c), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Arshad Khan, Rashid Khan, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj.

Impact Subs: Prasidh Krishna, Mahipal Lomror, Nishant Sindhu, Anuj Rawat, Jayant Yadav.

(IANS)

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