The stakes are crystal clear as Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) face off against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in a crucial IPL 2025 clash on Tuesday, May 27, at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. With a 7:30 PM IST start, this high-octane encounter could determine RCB’s placement in the top two of the points table, ensuring them a safer path in the playoffs. For LSG, it’s about pride, momentum, and finishing their campaign on a high in front of home fans.
RCB’s Road to Redemption
After suffering a heavy defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad at the same venue not too long ago, RCB will be keen to bounce back. That loss, though painful, was their only one outside Chinnaswamy this season — a testament to their phenomenal away form. In fact, RCB have won all six of their official away games in IPL 2025 so far, a feat no team has achieved in the history of the tournament.
The return of pacer Josh Hazlewood from Brisbane after a minor shoulder niggle could prove to be a timely boost. However, whether he features in the playing XI remains a mystery, as the team also has the newly available Blessing Muzarabani to consider.
Rajat Patidar’s form will also be under scrutiny. After a solid start to the season, the RCB captain has struggled for runs in the latter half, accumulating only 96 runs in his last seven games. If he’s not fully fit, Jitesh Sharma is expected to take on the leadership role once again.
LSG’s Final Flourish
With playoffs now out of reach, Lucknow Super Giants are looking to finish their campaign with pride. Their recent win against Gujarat Titans was a much-needed break after a four-match losing streak. In that match, Rishabh Pant’s couple of towering sixes reminded everyone of his prowess, and LSG would hope he finds more rhythm in this final fixture.
However, they’ll be without Aiden Markram, who has left for South Africa’s WTC final preparations. This absence opens the door for Aryan Juyal, a promising domestic top-order batter, who could be in line for his IPL debut. Also returning to the selection mix is Digvesh Rathi after serving a one-match suspension.
One area LSG could target is RCB’s spin department, which struggled against SRH. With the best strike-rate (158.33) and most runs (861) against spin this season, LSG’s batting unit could cause serious damage, especially if the pitch favors turn.
Pitch and Conditions
The Lucknow pitch has been unpredictable this season, alternating between red and black soil surfaces. While the recent SRH-RCB match at this venue turned out to be a high-scoring thriller, the surface used for this clash will dictate whether we see another run-fest. The long boundaries will challenge even the cleanest of strikers, and the sweltering evening heat could further test player fitness.
Key Match-ups
- Virat Kohli vs LSG pacers: Kohli has dominated both Shardul Thakur and Avesh Khan in past IPL meetings, striking at 163.63 and 170.73 against them respectively.
- RCB spin vs LSG top-order: With LSG excelling against spin, RCB’s slower bowlers will need to bring their A-game to restrict run flow and pick wickets.
Head-to-Head Record
RCB lead the head-to-head battle 3-2, and also boast the only win at this venue between these two teams, back in IPL 2023.
Probable Playing XIs
Lucknow Super Giants:
Mitchell Marsh, Aryan Juyal, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur/Akash Singh, Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Rathi, William O’Rourke
Royal Challengers Bengaluru:
Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Mayank Agarwal, Rajat Patidar (c)/Jitesh Sharma (wk), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yash Dayal, Josh Hazlewood/Blessing Muzarabani, Suyash Sharma
Did You Know?
- RCB are on the verge of becoming the first team in IPL history to win all of their away games in a single season.
- Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram’s 574-run partnership is the second-highest among overseas pairs in IPL history.
- LSG’s top three batters have contributed 17 fifties collectively this season — Marsh and Markram (6 each), Pooran (5).
As the league stage nears its end, this match promises not just potential playoff implications for RCB but also a gripping contest between two sides eager to make a final statement. Whether it’s Kohli’s flair or Pant’s comeback story, the fans in Lucknow are in for a thrilling evening.
