face soaring LSG in a battle of oppositesAs LSG thrive on batting versatility and the rise of lesser-known Indian talent, CSK remain anchored to a rigid formula, showing minimal

Big Picture – LSG’s spinners set the trap as CSK teeter on the edge

Mentor vs mentee. A soaring team vs one in free fall. As Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) lock horns with Chennai Super Kings (CSK), it's a clash marked by sharp contrasts — in form, strategy, and fortunes.

Rishabh Pant has breathing room, having guided LSG to three consecutive wins. In stark contrast, CSK find themselves in uncharted territory, reeling from five straight defeats — the worst losing streak in their IPL history. The early optimism surrounding MS Dhoni’s return to captaincy has faded swiftly after a demoralizing home loss to Kolkata Knight Riders.

LSG have embraced fearless cricket — flexible batting orders, a strong powerplay game, and a show of faith in emerging Indian talents like Digvesh Rathi. CSK, on the other hand, have clung to a rigid formula, showing little intent to adapt or innovate.

While LSG have gone three games without losing a wicket in the powerplay and boast a striking run rate of 10.3 in the first six overs, CSK lag with the slowest powerplay scoring rate this season — 7.5. The contrast in aggression is stark: LSG’s Nicholas Pooran has smashed 31 sixes on his own, nearly matching CSK's team total of 32. No CSK batter features in the top 10 run-getters — Rachin Ravindra leads their chart with just 149 runs. The last time a team had no batter reach 150 runs after six games? KKR in 2014.

CSK’s batting woes are reflected in the data. Against KKR, they attempted to hit a boundary only 15 times in the entire innings — the fewest by any team since IPL 2023. Their overall boundary attempt rate sits at 38.3% of deliveries faced, the second-lowest this season. The lack of urgency, intent, and fluency has cost them dearly.

Now, against LSG, they face a fresh challenge: spin. CSK have lost more wickets to spin than any other team this season. And with Ravi Bishnoi finding form and rookie Digvesh Rathi making an impact, LSG are well-equipped to exploit this vulnerability.

For CSK, Monday’s game is more than just another fixture — it’s a must-win to avoid slipping further into the abyss. But with their approach under scrutiny and form deserting them, turning things around won’t be easy.

Form Guide

Lucknow Super Giants: W W W L WChennai Super Kings: L L L L L

LSG enter the contest on a high, having won four of their last five matches. In contrast, CSK are in the midst of a historic slump, with five straight defeats — their worst run in IPL history.

Team News and Probable XII

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)Mitchell Marsh missed the previous match due to personal reasons — his daughter was unwell, as confirmed by captain Rishabh Pant. LSG opted to play with only three overseas players in his absence. If Marsh is available, he is expected to return to the XI, replacing Himmat Singh.

Probable XII:

1. Aiden Markram

2. Mitchell Marsh / Himmat Singh

3. Nicholas Pooran

4. Rishabh Pant (capt, wk)

5. Ayush Badoni

6. David Miller

7. Abdul Samad

8. Shardul Thakur

9. Akash Deep

10. Ravi Bishnoi

11. Avesh Khan

12. Digvesh Rathi

    

Chennai Super Kings (CSK)CSK's top-order collapse against KKR forced them to bring in Deepak Hooda as a backup batter. However, the focus will likely be on Matheesha Pathirana, who could play a key role as an Impact Player. Notably, Pathirana has an excellent record against Nicholas Pooran — four dismissals in five innings, with the batter averaging just 6.3.

Probable XII:

1. Devon Conway

2. Rachin Ravindra

3. Rahul Tripathi

4. Vijay Shankar

5. Shivam Dube

6. Ravindra Jadeja

7. MS Dhoni (capt, wk)

8. R Ashwin

9. Anshul Kamboj

10. Noor Ahmad

11. Khaleel Ahmed

12. Matheesha Pathirana