As IPL 2025 heats up, the focus turns to Lucknow where the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) host Gujarat Titans (GT) in a high-stakes Saturday afternoon clash. Both teams have had their moments this season, but consistency remains elusive—especially when it comes to performances at home. For LSG, mastering the 22-yard strip at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium has been a constant puzzle, while GT have quietly climbed the points table with their measured performances.
Let’s dive into all the key details ahead of this important mid-season fixture.
Match Preview
📅 Date: Saturday, April 12, 2025
🕒 Time: 3:30 PM IST
📍 Venue: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
🌤️ Weather: Expect a hot afternoon with temperatures hovering around 35°C. The pitch preparation on both black and mixed soil strips suggests conditions may be slow and turn-friendly.
Pitch Report
The Ekana Stadium has been a tough venue to decode. On the eve of the match, two surfaces were being prepared—one black soil and the other a mixed surface. The black soil strip received more attention later in the day, suggesting it could be used on Saturday. If so, expect low bounce and turn for the spinners, and a slightly sluggish outfield—conditions that could neutralize raw pace but reward control and tactical variations.
Head-to-Head Record: LSG vs GT
- Total Matches: 5
- Gujarat Titans Wins: 4
- Lucknow Super Giants Wins: 1
🔹 Last Meeting: LSG defended 163/5 at this very venue in 2024 to claim their only win over GT.
🔹 GT have won both of their chases and defenses against LSG across two seasons prior to that.
Team Form & Tactical Insights
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
📉 Current Form: Inconsistent – three wins from five matches
⚠️ Key Concern: Inability to dominate at home; reliance on batting over bowling
Injury Update:
- Mayank Yadav remains unavailable, continuing to recover.
Tactical Edge:
- Avesh Khan could be key early on. He’s had the measure of Shubman Gill and Shahrukh Khan in previous encounters.
- Nicholas Pooran is the leading six-hitter in IPL 2025 with 24 sixes, but his strike rate dips at the Ekana Stadium.
Probable XII: KL Rahul (c), Quinton de Kock (wk), Nicholas Pooran, Marcus Stoinis, Deepak Hooda, Ayush Badoni, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Yash Thakur, Avesh Khan, Devdutt Padikkal
Gujarat Titans (GT)
📈 Current Form: Four wins in five games – quietly climbing the table
⚠️ Key Concern: Over-reliance on top-three and Rutherford; Rabada’s absence leaves pace duties to domestic players
Injury Update:
- Kagiso Rabada is still unavailable due to personal reasons.
Tactical Edge:
- Rashid Khan might be crucial against Pooran despite a quiet season so far. He has dismissed Pooran twice while conceding only 77 runs in 66 deliveries.
- The all-India pace attack, including Siraj and Prasidh, has delivered well in Rabada’s absence.
Probable XII: Shubman Gill (c), Sai Sudharsan, Jos Buttler (wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Shahrukh Khan, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, R Sai Kishore, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Arshad Khan, Washington Sundar/Kulwant Khejroliya
Key Players to Watch
Lucknow Super Giants
- Nicholas Pooran: 24 sixes this season, but his record at Ekana is moderate – 273 runs in 16 innings at a SR of 132.52.
- Ayush Badoni: Performs better at this venue (SR of 142.07) compared to his career T20 strike rate (135.43).
- Avesh Khan: Can exploit GT’s top order vulnerabilities; has had past success against Shubman Gill and Shahrukh Khan.
Gujarat Titans
- Shubman Gill: 176 runs in 5 innings vs LSG at a strike rate of 139.68. Has been a reliable presence at the top.
- Sherfane Rutherford: Has played vital impact substitute roles with the bat in crunch moments.
- Rashid Khan: Needs to step up this season and could be key in keeping Pooran in check.
Stats & Trivia
- Pooran’s Career T20 SR: 150.08
- Pooran’s SR at Ekana: 132.52
- Ayush Badoni’s SR at Ekana: 142.07
- Gill vs LSG: 176 runs in 5 innings (SR 139.68)
- Rishabh Pant vs GT: 147 runs in 3 innings at a blistering SR of 177.1
Live Streaming & Broadcast Details
📺 TV Broadcast: Star Sports Network (All India)
📱 Live Streaming: JioCinema (Free in India)
For international viewers:
- UK: Sky Sports
- USA: Willow TV
- Australia: Fox Sports/Kayo
- South Africa: SuperSport
