Lucknow: With their playoff hopes hanging by a thread, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will look to stay in contention when they take on a struggling Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in Match 61 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium here on Monday.

LSG, placed seventh with 10 points from 11 matches, can ill afford another slip-up. A fourth consecutive defeat would all but knock them out of playoff contention. In contrast, SRH have already been eliminated after a disappointing campaign, winning just three of their eleven games so far.

Despite their recent form slump, LSG will draw confidence from their earlier 5-wicket win over Hyderabad this season, and more importantly, from their familiarity with the sluggish Ekana track, where spin and slower deliveries often dominate proceedings.

Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, and Aiden Markram remain the cornerstone of Lucknow's batting. Marsh has led from the front with 378 runs at a strike rate of 155. Pooran has been even more explosive, amassing 410 runs at a staggering 201 strike rate. Markram, with 348 runs, has anchored the middle overs in recent outings.

However, concerns linger around the form of Rishabh Pant and David Miller, who have both struggled to make significant contributions. Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad, though, have chipped in with late-order cameos that have helped LSG post or chase competitive totals.

On the bowling front, Digvesh Rathi has been the standout performer for LSG with 12 wickets in as many games at an economy of 8.09. Avesh Khan and Akash Singh have provided support with pace, while Ravi Bishnoi will be eager to rediscover his rhythm after an expensive run in the tournament.

Hyderabad, led by Pat Cummins, enter the match with little to lose. Their campaign has been marked by inconsistency and batting collapses. Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma have offered occasional brilliance at the top—most notably Abhishek’s 141 against Punjab—but their inability to convert starts into match-winning stands has hurt the team.

The middle order, comprising Heinrich Klaasen, Ishan Kishan, and Nitish Kumar, has failed to fire regularly. However, the late hitting of Aniket Verma has emerged as a silver lining for SRH, while their bowling attack, led by Cummins and supported by Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, and Zeeshan Ansari, has tightened up in recent matches.

With the pitch at Ekana favouring slower bowlers and favouring teams that chase, the toss could play a decisive role. Four of the five matches held here this season have been won by the side batting second. The average first-innings score stands at 166, and anything under 190 might be considered below-par in current conditions.

The weather forecast for Monday evening is clear, although sweltering conditions earlier in the day may test player endurance.

In what is effectively a knockout game for Lucknow, the outcome may come down to how well their core trio of Marsh, Pooran, and Markram cope with SRH’s powerplay bowling and if their spinners can exploit the pitch conditions better than the opposition.

Predicted XIs

Lucknow Super Giants: Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Akash Singh, Digvesh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav. Impact Player: Mitchell Marsh.

 

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sachin Baby, Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins (c), Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari, Eshan Malinga. Impact Player: Travis Head.