Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun has joined Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as bowling consultant ahead of the upcoming season. He joins the team after parting ways with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) which are undergoing a complete staff overhaul after deciding to let go head coach Chandrakant Pandit on Tuesday (Jul 29). Arun was with the KKR from 2022 to 2024 but a contract extension after KKR's IPL 2024 title win saw him stay with the franchise till the most recent IPL 2025 season.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/ben-stokes-reveals-ashes-factor-behind-missing-final-test-vs-india-1753878727659">Ben Stokes reveals Ashes factor behind missing final Test vs India</a>&nbsp;"It's an honour to join the Lucknow Super Giants, a franchise that reflects professionalism, ambition, and vision at every level," Arun was quoted saying in a statement. "My conversations with Dr. Sanjiv Goenka and the management were incredibly energizing - there is a clear intent to invest in young Indian talent and build a long-term legacy."What excites me most is the vision for long-term development. LSG has invested in a young, talented, and dynamic group of Indian fast bowlers - Akash deep, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav, Mohsin Khan, and Akash Singh - and I see immense potential in each of them. My mission is to help shape them into a cohesive, fearless, and tactically sharp pace unit that can challenge the best batting line-ups in the world."Apart from being the bowling consultant, Arun will also see overall development of franchise's fast bowlers which also includes scouting for fresh talent. Arun has been a known name in the cricket coaching area for quite some time. He has also spent two years with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2015 to 2017. He was also part of the Indian national team set up on two occasions - from 2014 to 2015 and 2017 to 2021.

Arun has been a known name in the cricket coaching area for quite some time. He was also part of the Indian national team set up on two occasions - from 2014 to 2015 and 2017 to 2021. Before joining KKR, he also spent time with RCB in the IPL.

Former India bowling coach Bharat Arun has joined Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as bowling consultant ahead of the upcoming season. He joins the team after parting ways with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) which are undergoing a complete staff overhaul after deciding to let go head coach Chandrakant Pandit on Tuesday (Jul 29). Arun was with the KKR from 2022 to 2024 but a contract extension after KKR's IPL 2024 title win saw him stay with the franchise till the most recent IPL 2025 season. Also Read - Ben Stokes reveals Ashes factor behind missing final Test vs India "It's an honour to join the Lucknow Super Giants, a franchise that reflects professionalism, ambition, and vision at every level," Arun was quoted saying in a statement. "My conversations with Dr. Sanjiv Goenka and the management were incredibly energizing - there is a clear intent to invest in young Indian talent and build a long-term legacy. "What excites me most is the vision for long-term development. LSG has invested in a young, talented, and dynamic group of Indian fast bowlers - Akash deep, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav, Mohsin Khan, and Akash Singh - and I see immense potential in each of them. My mission is to help shape them into a cohesive, fearless, and tactically sharp pace unit that can challenge the best batting line-ups in the world." Apart from being the bowling consultant, Arun will also see overall development of franchise's fast bowlers which also includes scouting for fresh talent. Arun has been a known name in the cricket coaching area for quite some time. He has also spent two years with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru from 2015 to 2017. He was also part of the Indian national team set up on two occasions - from 2014 to 2015 and 2017 to 2021.

Arun has been a known name in the cricket coaching area for quite some time. He was also part of the Indian national team set up on two occasions - from 2014 to 2015 and 2017 to 2021. Before joining KKR, he also spent time with RCB in the IPL.

Former India assistant coach Bharat Arun leaves KKR to join LSG as bowling coach

Mitchell Marsh struck his first Indian Premier League century as Lucknow Super Giants pulled off an upset 33-run win against table-toppers Gujarat Titans on Thursday.&nbsp;Marsh smashed 117 off 64 balls studded with 10 fours and eight sixes to help Lucknow post a formidable 235-2 off 20 overs.&nbsp;Gujarat, who have already qualified for the playoffs, could only make 202-9 in reply at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.&nbsp;"We gave 15-20 runs extra. If we'd stopped them at 210-220 it would've been better, that was a huge difference," said Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill.&nbsp;"Getting momentum back will be key in the next game."&nbsp;Lucknow were playing for pride after being eliminated from the playoffs.&nbsp;&nbsp;Gujarat lost in-form opener and the tournament's highest run-getter Sai Sudharsan for 21, caught by Aiden Markram off Will O'Rourke, who ended with figures of 3-27.&nbsp;Sudharsan's opening partner Gill looked in good touch before he was caught in the deep by Abdul Samad off Avesh Khan for 35.&nbsp;Jos Buttler (33) tried to steady the innings but was dismissed by Akash Singh in the 10th over.&nbsp;Shahrukh Khan (57) and Sherfane Rutherford (38) revived hopes of a comeback but O'Rourke took two wickets in the 17th over to seal Gujarat's fate.&nbsp;"We had a lot of fun out there, T20 is fickle," said O'Rourke.&nbsp;Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-test-eng-vs-zim-england-top-order-dominates-as-hosts-hit-498-3-on-day-1-zak-crawley-ben-duckett-ollie-pope-1747937646726">ENG vs ZIM: England top order dominates as hosts hit 498/3 on day 1</a>&nbsp;Earlier, Marsh combined with Markram to give Lucknow a steady start, putting on 91 runs for the opening wicket after Gujarat won the toss and elected to bowl.&nbsp;Markram (36) hit fellow South African Kagiso Rabada for two sixes in a row before being caught by Shahrukh near the boundary off Sai Kishore.&nbsp;Marsh continued his onslaught at the other end, hitting Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan for 25 runs in his first over of the game.&nbsp;The right-hander, who raced to his century off just 56 balls, was finally caught by a diving Rutherford off paceman Arshad Khan for 117.&nbsp;Nicholas Pooran also impressed, making an unbeaten 56 runs off 27 balls with four fours and five sixes.&nbsp;Lucknow's struggling skipper Rishabh Pant made 16 not out.&nbsp;The IPL resumed last Saturday after being paused due to a deadly conflict between India and Pakistan, forcing overseas players to revisit their season plans.

IPL 2025 Marsh ton powers Lucknow to IPL upset over Gujarat

Mitchell Marsh struck his first Indian Premier League century as Lucknow Super Giants pulled off an upset 33-run win against table-toppers Gujarat Titans on Thursday. Marsh smashed 117 off 64 balls studded with 10 fours and eight sixes to help Lucknow post a formidable 235-2 off 20 overs. Gujarat, who have already qualified for the playoffs, could only make 202-9 in reply at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. "We gave 15-20 runs extra. If we'd stopped them at 210-220 it would've been better, that was a huge difference," said Gujarat skipper Shubman Gill. "Getting momentum back will be key in the next game." Lucknow were playing for pride after being eliminated from the playoffs. Gujarat lost in-form opener and the tournament's highest run-getter Sai Sudharsan for 21, caught by Aiden Markram off Will O'Rourke, who ended with figures of 3-27. Sudharsan's opening partner Gill looked in good touch before he was caught in the deep by Abdul Samad off Avesh Khan for 35. Jos Buttler (33) tried to steady the innings but was dismissed by Akash Singh in the 10th over. Shahrukh Khan (57) and Sherfane Rutherford (38) revived hopes of a comeback but O'Rourke took two wickets in the 17th over to seal Gujarat's fate. "We had a lot of fun out there, T20 is fickle," said O'Rourke. Also read | ENG vs ZIM: England top order dominates as hosts hit 498/3 on day 1 Earlier, Marsh combined with Markram to give Lucknow a steady start, putting on 91 runs for the opening wicket after Gujarat won the toss and elected to bowl. Markram (36) hit fellow South African Kagiso Rabada for two sixes in a row before being caught by Shahrukh near the boundary off Sai Kishore. Marsh continued his onslaught at the other end, hitting Afghanistan spinner Rashid Khan for 25 runs in his first over of the game. The right-hander, who raced to his century off just 56 balls, was finally caught by a diving Rutherford off paceman Arshad Khan for 117. Nicholas Pooran also impressed, making an unbeaten 56 runs off 27 balls with four fours and five sixes. Lucknow's struggling skipper Rishabh Pant made 16 not out. The IPL resumed last Saturday after being paused due to a deadly conflict between India and Pakistan, forcing overseas players to revisit their season plans.

Gujarat, who have already qualified for the playoffs, could only make 202-9 in reply at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

IPL 2025: Marsh ton powers Lucknow to IPL upset over Gujarat

Imagine spending 58 per cent of your auction purse on just four players and then trying to build a balanced team with the remaining amount. That is exactly what happened with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants">Lucknow Super Giants </a>(LSG) in IPL 2025, and it cost them heavily.&nbsp;Out of their total purse of INR 120 crore ($15 million), LSG spent a whopping INR 70 ($8.31 million) crore on just four players Rishabh Pant (INR 27 crore, $3.21 million), <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/nicholas-pooran">Nicholas Pooran </a>(INR 21 crore, $2.5 million), Ravi Bishnoi (INR 11 crore, $1.3 million), and Mayank Yadav (INR 11 crore, $1.3 million). While these players bought star value to the team, it left them with a limited purse and several gaps to fill in order to build a well-balanced squad.&nbsp;Cricket is a team game and LSG failed to identify it&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rishabh-pant">Rishabh Pant</a> , the skipper of LSG, had a disappointing season with the bat, scoring a mere 135 runs in 12 innings at a below-par average of 12.35. He got out in strange ways throughout the tournament and it seemed like the pressure of the massive price tag affected his performance. Nicholas Pooran, despite being LSG's top run-getter with 455 runs in 12 outings, was not consistent enough, especially in the second half, to justify the INR 21 ($2.5 million) crore spent on him.&nbsp;Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-allows-extra-120-minutes-for-remaining-league-games-and-kkr-ceo-says-we-feel-aggrieved-1747818283196">IPL allows extra 120 minutes for remaining league games and KKR CEO says 'we feel aggrieved'</a>&nbsp;Pooran smashed 349 runs in the first six games at an astonishing strike rate of 215. However, in the next six outings, he managed to score only 106 runs with a big dip in strike rate to 156.&nbsp;Failure in the bowling department&nbsp;In the bowling department, the frontline spinner of LSG, Ravi Bishnoi, had a poor season with the ball. He claimed only nine wickets at an average of 41.66 (runs per wicket) and conceded runs at an economy rate of 10.84 (runs per over). He failed to curb the run flow in the middle overs and was even outperformed by the uncapped leggie Digvesh Rathi who was playing his maiden season.&nbsp;Mayank Yadav was another risky investment. He had already proved to be injury-prone in the past, and unfortunately, history repeated itself. He missed a major part of the season due to injury.&nbsp;Another bizarre decision was the purchase of Akash Deep for INR 8 crore. He is known for his red-ball skills and lacks experience in T20s. He played four matches, picked up only three wickets, and had an economy rate of 12.25 before being dropped.&nbsp;Another experienced campaigner, David Miller was bought for INR 7.5 crore but managed to score only 153 runs in 11 innings. LSG heavily relied on their top-order batters in Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran in the middle overs. However, lack of reliable finishers and specialist T20 pacers hurt them.&nbsp;In the end, it wasn’t just Pant who failed. There were only certain players who were performing, but it was Pant who had to face each and every bullet for the teams' failure. Conversely, it was a collective failure of poor squad planning, questionable buys, and lack of depth that led to LSG’s downfall in IPL 2025.&nbsp;Franchises should think before investing heavily in certain players because if you don't get the expected returns, the ship of your team sinks and fast.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Out of their total purse of INR 120 crore, LSG spent a whopping INR 70 crore on just four players: Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, and Mayank Yadav. While these players bought star value to the team, it left very little purse to build a well-balanced squad.

Imagine spending 58 per cent of your auction purse on just four players and then trying to build a balanced team with the remaining amount. That is exactly what happened with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2025, and it cost them heavily. Out of their total purse of INR 120 crore ($15 million), LSG spent a whopping INR 70 ($8.31 million) crore on just four players Rishabh Pant (INR 27 crore, $3.21 million), Nicholas Pooran (INR 21 crore, $2.5 million), Ravi Bishnoi (INR 11 crore, $1.3 million), and Mayank Yadav (INR 11 crore, $1.3 million). While these players bought star value to the team, it left them with a limited purse and several gaps to fill in order to build a well-balanced squad. Cricket is a team game and LSG failed to identify it Rishabh Pant , the skipper of LSG, had a disappointing season with the bat, scoring a mere 135 runs in 12 innings at a below-par average of 12.35. He got out in strange ways throughout the tournament and it seemed like the pressure of the massive price tag affected his performance. Nicholas Pooran, despite being LSG's top run-getter with 455 runs in 12 outings, was not consistent enough, especially in the second half, to justify the INR 21 ($2.5 million) crore spent on him. Also Read | IPL allows extra 120 minutes for remaining league games and KKR CEO says 'we feel aggrieved' Pooran smashed 349 runs in the first six games at an astonishing strike rate of 215. However, in the next six outings, he managed to score only 106 runs with a big dip in strike rate to 156. Failure in the bowling department In the bowling department, the frontline spinner of LSG, Ravi Bishnoi, had a poor season with the ball. He claimed only nine wickets at an average of 41.66 (runs per wicket) and conceded runs at an economy rate of 10.84 (runs per over). He failed to curb the run flow in the middle overs and was even outperformed by the uncapped leggie Digvesh Rathi who was playing his maiden season. Mayank Yadav was another risky investment. He had already proved to be injury-prone in the past, and unfortunately, history repeated itself. He missed a major part of the season due to injury. Another bizarre decision was the purchase of Akash Deep for INR 8 crore. He is known for his red-ball skills and lacks experience in T20s. He played four matches, picked up only three wickets, and had an economy rate of 12.25 before being dropped. Another experienced campaigner, David Miller was bought for INR 7.5 crore but managed to score only 153 runs in 11 innings. LSG heavily relied on their top-order batters in Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram and Nicholas Pooran in the middle overs. However, lack of reliable finishers and specialist T20 pacers hurt them. In the end, it wasn’t just Pant who failed. There were only certain players who were performing, but it was Pant who had to face each and every bullet for the teams' failure. Conversely, it was a collective failure of poor squad planning, questionable buys, and lack of depth that led to LSG’s downfall in IPL 2025. Franchises should think before investing heavily in certain players because if you don't get the expected returns, the ship of your team sinks and fast.

Out of their total purse of INR 120 crore, LSG spent a whopping INR 70 crore on just four players: Rishabh Pant , Nicholas Pooran , Ravi Bishnoi , and Mayank Yadav . While these players bought star value to the team, it left very little purse to build a well-balanced squad.

Rishabh Pant took the bullets, but he wasn’t alone - What went wrong for LSG in IPL 2025

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are out of IPL 2025 playoff contention and owner Sanjiv Goenka acknowledges that 'it's been challenging.' LSG were holding on to a fine thread to make it to the playoff but that hope vanished after their loss against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Monday (May 19).&nbsp;"It's been a challenging second half of the season, but there's much to take heart in. The spirit, the effort, and the moments of excellence give us a lot to build on. Two games remain. Let's play with pride and finish strong. #LSGvsSRH," Goenka wrote on X after the loss against SRH.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It’s been a challenging second half of the season, but there’s much to take heart in. The spirit, the effort, and the moments of excellence give us a lot to build on. Two games remain. Let’s play with pride and finish strong. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LSGvsSRH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LSGvsSRH</a> <a href="https://t.co/gFzyddlnMn">pic.twitter.com/gFzyddlnMn</a>&mdash; Dr. Sanjiv Goenka (@DrSanjivGoenka) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSanjivGoenka/status/1924714845267427747?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 20, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Lucknow started by winning four of their first games - putting them in the top half of the points table. In the next six games, however, they lost five matches including last four consecutively and are currently at seventh place on the table with just 10 points to their name.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/former-ipl-coach-says-lsg-spent-too-much-money-on-pant-and-pooran-making-it-hard-to-build-a-very-strong-bowling-unit-1747731455725">Former IPL coach says LSG spent too much money on Pant and Pooran, making it 'hard to build a very strong bowling unit'</a>&nbsp;Skipper Rishabh Pant also agreed that it became hard for them to close the gaps created by injuries.&nbsp;"We knew we had gaps to fill because of injuries. As a team we had decided not to talk about it. But it became to close the gaps. The way we planned the auction, if we would have had the same bowling, the story would have been different. Sometimes things go your way, sometimes they don't. We take pride in the way we played and will look at the positives," Pant said after the game.&nbsp;Lucknow's next two games are on May 22 against Gujarat Titans and on May 27 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The match against RCB is also the last league stage match of the season before the playoffs begin.&nbsp;Three teams have already qualified for the IPL 2025 - RCB, Gujarat Titans and Punjab Kings - and Delhi Capitals or Mumbai Indians will fill up the last slot.

Lucknow started by winning four of their first games - putting them in the top half of the points table. In the next six games, however, they lost five matches including last four consecutively.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are out of IPL 2025 playoff contention and owner Sanjiv Goenka acknowledges that 'it's been challenging.' LSG were holding on to a fine thread to make it to the playoff but that hope vanished after their loss against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Monday (May 19). "It's been a challenging second half of the season, but there's much to take heart in. The spirit, the effort, and the moments of excellence give us a lot to build on. Two games remain. Let's play with pride and finish strong. #LSGvsSRH," Goenka wrote on X after the loss against SRH.

Lucknow started by winning four of their first games - putting them in the top half of the points table. In the next six games, however, they lost five matches including last four consecutively.

Owner Sanjiv Goenka acknowledges 'challenging second half of the season' as LSG crash out of IPL 2025 playoffs

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) crashed out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season after their loss against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Monday (May 19). They started the season well but injuries coupled with lack of bowling options did them in the second half.&nbsp;Talking to ESPNCrincinfo, former IPL coach Tom Moody says that LSG spent too much on Nicholas Pooran and Rishabh Pant which left them with insufficient funds to compete at the auction for the bowlers.&nbsp;Also Read - <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-mumbai-indians-rope-in-three-overseas-players-before-playoffs-bairstow-asalanka-gleeson-1747725907132">IPL 2025 | Mumbai Indians rope in three overseas players ahead of playoffs – Details inside</a>&nbsp;LSG bought pant for an IPL record of INR 27 crore ($3.21 million) and Pooran for INR 21 crore (2.5 million) - leaving them with about &nbsp;INR 72 crore or a little than then $10 million for the rest of the buys.&nbsp;"The expense on Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran, those two players, makes it very hard to build a very strong bowling unit," Moody said. "Because you just don't have the funds to compete at the auction table.&nbsp;"In an ideal world, it's great to have Pooran, [David] Miller, [Mitchell] Marsh, Pant... all these are impactful batters but at the end of the day you need to bowl. You've got to be able to have an impactful bowling unit in powerplays. Be adaptable in the middle overs and take wicket and squeeze the opposition. And in the back-end of the innings, you need people to close the game under pressure - take wickets, bowl those really challenging overs when the opposition is going hell-for-leather against you. And I just don't think they've got any of that," he added.&nbsp;Lucknow started by winning four of their first games - putting them in the top half of the points table. In the next six games, however, they lost five matches including last four consecutively and are currently at seventh place on the table with just 10 points to their name.

LSG bought pant for an IPL record of INR 27 crore ($3.21 million) and Pooran for INR 21 crore (2.5 million) - leaving them with about  INR 72 crore or a little than then $10 million for the rest of the buys.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) crashed out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season after their loss against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Monday (May 19). They started the season well but injuries coupled with lack of bowling options did them in the second half. Talking to ESPNCrincinfo, former IPL coach Tom Moody says that LSG spent too much on Nicholas Pooran and Rishabh Pant which left them with insufficient funds to compete at the auction for the bowlers. Also Read - IPL 2025 | Mumbai Indians rope in three overseas players ahead of playoffs – Details inside LSG bought pant for an IPL record of INR 27 crore ($3.21 million) and Pooran for INR 21 crore (2.5 million) - leaving them with about INR 72 crore or a little than then $10 million for the rest of the buys. "The expense on Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran, those two players, makes it very hard to build a very strong bowling unit," Moody said. "Because you just don't have the funds to compete at the auction table. "In an ideal world, it's great to have Pooran, [David] Miller, [Mitchell] Marsh, Pant... all these are impactful batters but at the end of the day you need to bowl. You've got to be able to have an impactful bowling unit in powerplays. Be adaptable in the middle overs and take wicket and squeeze the opposition. And in the back-end of the innings, you need people to close the game under pressure - take wickets, bowl those really challenging overs when the opposition is going hell-for-leather against you. And I just don't think they've got any of that," he added. Lucknow started by winning four of their first games - putting them in the top half of the points table. In the next six games, however, they lost five matches including last four consecutively and are currently at seventh place on the table with just 10 points to their name.

LSG bought pant for an IPL record of INR 27 crore ($3.21 million) and Pooran for INR 21 crore (2.5 million) - leaving them with about &nbsp;INR 72 crore or a little than then $10 million for the rest of the buys.

Former IPL coach says LSG spent too much money on Pant and Pooran, making it 'hard to build a very strong bowling unit'

As Lucknow Super Giants is on the brink of elimination after IPL 2025. Here are five players LSG could retain post this season ft Rishabh Pant and Digvesh Rathi.

As Lucknow Super Giants is on the brink of elimination after IPL 2025. Here are five players LSG could retain post this season ft Rishabh Pant and Digvesh Rathi.

5 players LSG might retain after IPL 2025, one name can shock you

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rishabh-pant">Rishabh Pant</a> couldn't put an end to his slump with the bat, getting out for yet another low score in the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) 2025 season.
Once the trio of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mitchell-marsh">Mitchell Marsh</a>, Aiden Markram, and Nicholas Pooran got out early, the responsibility was left on Pant, Ayush Badoni, and other middle-order batsmen to revive the team's cause in the pursuit of 237 runs against Punjab. But, LSG managed just 199/7, thanks to Badoni's 40-ball 74. Yet again this season, Lucknow were left disappointed by their captain, Pant, when the team needed him most, and owner <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sanjiv-goenka">Sanjiv Goenka</a>'s reaction encapsulated the mood in the dugout.
A half-century by Ayush Badoni and his 81-run partnership with Abdul Samad was the lone highlight as LSG lost by 37 runs to PBKS after a top-order collapse at the HPCA stadium in Dharmasala. If skipper Pant had been more patient in the middle, things might have gone differently for the Super Giants.
Sanjiv Goenka, who has gained a reputation as a tough taskmaster following several on-field clashes with his captains, was understandably unhappy to see Pant leave early. The wicket-keeper batter was purchased by Goenka for a record amount of INR 27 crore during the mega auction a year ago. Up to now, it is safe to say, money's worth has not been forthcoming.
<h2>Watch Sanjiv Goenka's reaction here:</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Sanjiv Goenka Reaction After Rishabh Pant wicket 🥵<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LSGvsPBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LSGvsPBKS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PBKSvsLSG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PBKSvsLSG</a> <a href="https://t.co/jUeuVlqz6n">pic.twitter.com/jUeuVlqz6n</a>
&mdash; MAHIPAL GURJAR (@Chikugurjar83) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chikugurjar83/status/1919071823389438315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Post the game, Pant attributed the team's mediocre fielding as the reason for their loss.&nbsp;"Absolutely too many runs. If you're gonna drop key catches at the wrong moment, it is going to haunt you terribly. We believed it was going to do more. We didn't get the length right initially. That's the way the game goes. The dream is very much alive. If we're going to win the next three games, we surely can turn things around.".
"It makes sense when your priority order is playing well with the bat. You can't expect them to come off well in every game. It's the game. We have to take the game deep. They can't do the hard work for us every time. As you mentioned in the first, we had too many to chase. That affected us greatly," Rishabh Pant said during the post-match presentation ceremony.

India News, Sports: LSG were left disappointed by their captain, Pant, when the team needed him most, and owner Sanjiv Goenka's reaction encapsulated the mood in dugout

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper Rishabh Pant couldn't put an end to his slump with the bat, getting out for yet another low score in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season. Once the trio of Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, and Nicholas Pooran got out early, the responsibility was left on Pant, Ayush Badoni, and other middle-order batsmen to revive the team's cause in the pursuit of 237 runs against Punjab. But, LSG managed just 199/7, thanks to Badoni's 40-ball 74. Yet again this season, Lucknow were left disappointed by their captain, Pant, when the team needed him most, and owner Sanjiv Goenka's reaction encapsulated the mood in the dugout. A half-century by Ayush Badoni and his 81-run partnership with Abdul Samad was the lone highlight as LSG lost by 37 runs to PBKS after a top-order collapse at the HPCA stadium in Dharmasala. If skipper Pant had been more patient in the middle, things might have gone differently for the Super Giants. Sanjiv Goenka, who has gained a reputation as a tough taskmaster following several on-field clashes with his captains, was understandably unhappy to see Pant leave early. The wicket-keeper batter was purchased by Goenka for a record amount of INR 27 crore during the mega auction a year ago. Up to now, it is safe to say, money's worth has not been forthcoming. Watch Sanjiv Goenka's reaction here: Sanjiv Goenka Reaction After Rishabh Pant wicket 🥵#LSGvsPBKS #PBKSvsLSG pic.twitter.com/jUeuVlqz6n — MAHIPAL GURJAR (@Chikugurjar83) May 4, 2025 Post the game, Pant attributed the team's mediocre fielding as the reason for their loss. "Absolutely too many runs. If you're gonna drop key catches at the wrong moment, it is going to haunt you terribly. We believed it was going to do more. We didn't get the length right initially. That's the way the game goes. The dream is very much alive. If we're going to win the next three games, we surely can turn things around.". "It makes sense when your priority order is playing well with the bat. You can't expect them to come off well in every game. It's the game. We have to take the game deep. They can't do the hard work for us every time. As you mentioned in the first, we had too many to chase. That affected us greatly," Rishabh Pant said during the post-match presentation ceremony.

IPL 2025: Sanjiv Goenka's reaction to yet another Rishabh Pant poor show breaks internet-WATCH

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=LUCKNOW+SUPER+GIANTS" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Lucknow Super Giants </a>(LSG) suffered a 37-run loss against<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=LUCKNOW+SUPER+GIANTS" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank"> Punjab Kings</a> (PBKS) in an IPL 2025 clash at Dharmashala on Sunday (May 4), after a top-order collapse for LSG made things difficult for them right from the start.
Chasing 237, LSG lost quick wickets and were reduced to 73/5. However, Ayush Badoni (74 off 40) and Abdul Samad (45 off 24) fought back with an 81-run stand, but it wasn&rsquo;t enough as LSG could only reach 199/7 in 20 overs.
<h2>Prabhsimran top-scores for PBKS</h2>
Earlier in the first innings, PBKS put up a strong total of 236/5. Prabhsimran Singh led the charge with a fine knock of 91 with seven sixes and six fours, while Josh Inglis (30 off 14), skipper&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/search?title=shreyas+iyer" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">Shreyas Iyer</a> (45 off 25), and Shashank Singh (33* off 15) played key roles. For LSG, Akash Singh and Digvesh Rathi took two wickets each.
Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-narendra-modi-hails-bihars-son-vaibhav-suryavanshis-phenomenal-knock-in-ipl-9033493" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">PM Narendra Modi hails 'Bihar's Son' Vaibhav Suryavanshi's phenomenal knock in IPL</a>
PBKS bowlers bowled a tight line and kept the batsmen in check. Arshdeep Singh stood out with figures of 3/16, while Omarzai picked 2/33. Jansen and Chahal took one wicket each.
After the match, LSG captain Rishabh Pant admitted that the team gave away too many runs and dropped important catches.
&ldquo;Definitely too many runs. When you're gonna drop crucial catches at the wrong time, it is going to hurt you badly. We thought it was going to do more. We didn't pick the length right at the start. That's part and parcel of the game,&rdquo; Rishabh Pant said in the post-match press conference.
"The dream is still alive. If we're gonna win the next three matches, we definitely can turn it around. It makes sense when your top order is batting really well. In every match, you can't hope they will come off nicely&hellip; We need to take the game deep,&rdquo; the LSG skipper added.
With this win, PBKS climbed to second place with 15 points, while LSG lingers at seventh with 10 points from 11 matches played so far.

Chasing 237, LSG lost quick wickets and were reduced to 73/5. However, Ayush Badoni (74 off 40) and Abdul Samad (45 off 24) fought back with an 81-run stand, but it wasn’t enough LSG could only reach 199/7 in 20 overs. Cricket Sports

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered a 37-run loss against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in an IPL 2025 clash at Dharmashala on Sunday (May 4), after a top-order collapse for LSG made things difficult for them right from the start. Chasing 237, LSG lost quick wickets and were reduced to 73/5. However, Ayush Badoni (74 off 40) and Abdul Samad (45 off 24) fought back with an 81-run stand, but it wasn’t enough as LSG could only reach 199/7 in 20 overs. Prabhsimran top-scores for PBKS Earlier in the first innings, PBKS put up a strong total of 236/5. Prabhsimran Singh led the charge with a fine knock of 91 with seven sixes and six fours, while Josh Inglis (30 off 14), skipper Shreyas Iyer (45 off 25), and Shashank Singh (33* off 15) played key roles. For LSG, Akash Singh and Digvesh Rathi took two wickets each. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi hails 'Bihar's Son' Vaibhav Suryavanshi's phenomenal knock in IPL PBKS bowlers bowled a tight line and kept the batsmen in check. Arshdeep Singh stood out with figures of 3/16, while Omarzai picked 2/33. Jansen and Chahal took one wicket each. After the match, LSG captain Rishabh Pant admitted that the team gave away too many runs and dropped important catches. “Definitely too many runs. When you're gonna drop crucial catches at the wrong time, it is going to hurt you badly. We thought it was going to do more. We didn't pick the length right at the start. That's part and parcel of the game,” Rishabh Pant said in the post-match press conference. "The dream is still alive. If we're gonna win the next three matches, we definitely can turn it around. It makes sense when your top order is batting really well. In every match, you can't hope they will come off nicely… We need to take the game deep,” the LSG skipper added. With this win, PBKS climbed to second place with 15 points, while LSG lingers at seventh with 10 points from 11 matches played so far.

IPL 2025: 'Catches win you matches, but if you don't take...': LSG skipper Rishabh Pant takes blame for loss against PBKS

Rishabh Pant again struggled to a low score &nbsp;as his Lucknow Super Giants team slumped to a fourth defeat in five IPL games, losing by 37 runs to the Punjab Kings on Sunday.
Opener Prabhsimran Singh struck 91 off 48 balls to steer Punjab to 236-5, helped by several impressive cameos at the Kings' second home in Dharamsala.
<h2>Punjab beat Lucknow</h2>
Arshdeep Singh then returned brilliant figures of 3-16 as Lucknow could only make 199-7 in reply. Pant fell for a 17-ball 18 in another failure for the India star.
Pant, who was snapped up by LSG for a record price of $3.21 million in the November auction, could not find any fluency during his stay despite hitting two fours and one six.
The wicketkeeper-batsman has mustered only 128 runs from 10 innings this season.
Lucknow sit seventh in the table, four points outside the fourth and final play-off spot with three games remaining.
Punjab climbed to second behind leaders Royal Challengers Bengaluru after their seventh win of the campaign.
Lucknow were never in their chase after left-arm seamer Arshdeep struck twice in the space of four balls in his second over to send back Mitchell Marsh, for a duck, and then Aiden Markram, for 13.
He dismissed the dangerous Nicholas Pooran for six before Pant attempted to rebuild in a scratchy innings that was ended by Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai.
Omarzai soon sent back David Miller for 11 to put Lucknow in further trouble at 73-5.
Ayush Badoni, who top-scored with 74, and Abdul Samad, who hit 45, put on a valiant stand of 81 but could only reduce the margin of defeat.
ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/from-prabhsimran-singh-to-rahul-tewatia-five-uncapped-indian-batters-with-most-ipl-runs-manan-vohra-ayush-badoni-9032282" rel="dofollow noopener" target="_blank">From Prabhsimran Singh to Rahul Tewatia five uncapped Indian batters with most IPL runs</a>
Earlier, Australia's Josh Inglis, who hammered a quick 30, and Prabhsimran lay the foundations for Punjab's imposing total with a second-wicket partnership of 48.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer took charge after Inglis' departure and made 45 in a partnership of 78 with Prabhsimran, who survived a dropped catch by Pooran when on 21.
Leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi denied Prabhsimran a century, but Shashank Singh, who struck an unbeaten 33, and Marcus Stoinis, who made 15 not out off five balls, ensured Punjab finished strongly.
Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Opener Prabhsimran Singh struck 91 off 48 balls to steer Punjab to 236-5, helped by several impressive cameos at the Kings' second home in Dharamsala. India News | Sports

Rishabh Pant again struggled to a low score as his Lucknow Super Giants team slumped to a fourth defeat in five IPL games, losing by 37 runs to the Punjab Kings on Sunday. Opener Prabhsimran Singh struck 91 off 48 balls to steer Punjab to 236-5, helped by several impressive cameos at the Kings' second home in Dharamsala. Punjab beat Lucknow Arshdeep Singh then returned brilliant figures of 3-16 as Lucknow could only make 199-7 in reply. Pant fell for a 17-ball 18 in another failure for the India star. Pant, who was snapped up by LSG for a record price of $3.21 million in the November auction, could not find any fluency during his stay despite hitting two fours and one six. The wicketkeeper-batsman has mustered only 128 runs from 10 innings this season. Lucknow sit seventh in the table, four points outside the fourth and final play-off spot with three games remaining. Punjab climbed to second behind leaders Royal Challengers Bengaluru after their seventh win of the campaign. Lucknow were never in their chase after left-arm seamer Arshdeep struck twice in the space of four balls in his second over to send back Mitchell Marsh, for a duck, and then Aiden Markram, for 13. He dismissed the dangerous Nicholas Pooran for six before Pant attempted to rebuild in a scratchy innings that was ended by Afghanistan all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai. Omarzai soon sent back David Miller for 11 to put Lucknow in further trouble at 73-5. Ayush Badoni, who top-scored with 74, and Abdul Samad, who hit 45, put on a valiant stand of 81 but could only reduce the margin of defeat. ALSO READ | From Prabhsimran Singh to Rahul Tewatia five uncapped Indian batters with most IPL runs Earlier, Australia's Josh Inglis, who hammered a quick 30, and Prabhsimran lay the foundations for Punjab's imposing total with a second-wicket partnership of 48. Skipper Shreyas Iyer took charge after Inglis' departure and made 45 in a partnership of 78 with Prabhsimran, who survived a dropped catch by Pooran when on 21. Leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi denied Prabhsimran a century, but Shashank Singh, who struck an unbeaten 33, and Marcus Stoinis, who made 15 not out off five balls, ensured Punjab finished strongly. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

IPL 2025: Rishabh Pant's woes continue as Punjab Kings beat Lucknow by 37 runs

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper Rishabh Pant is having a nightmare of a season as a batter in IPL 2025. While the team has managed to win five out of nine games, they haven't exuded much confidence as a unit. On Tuesday (Apr 22), they lost against Delhi Capitals and Pant said toss played a huge part in the game. &nbsp;
"We were 20 runs short," acknowledged Pant after the loss as DC chased down 160-run target inside 18 overs.&nbsp;
Also Watch:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-kl-rahul-handshakes-lsg-owner-sanjiv-goenka-after-dc-beat-lucknow-8991999">DC's KL Rahul finds it 'good to be back in Lucknow' and does courtesy handshake with LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka after win</a>
"Toss played a huge part, whoever is bowling first gets a lot of help from the wicket .. we just couldn't get it away. It always happens in Lucknow, wicket becomes better in the second innings, that's how it goes, we can't make excuses but have to learn from it," he added.
Pant also spoke about bringing in Ayush Badoni as impact player to replace Mitchell Marsh during LSG's innings. The decision looked odd given the skipper himself was available to bat but did not come.
"We are using Ayush as Impact Player to try and give Mayank (Yadav) some game time early in the season, trying to fit him in, since he's just come from NCA. We sent someone to capitalise on wicket like that, Miller came in, we got stuck on that wicket and we need to figure out our best combination," Pant explained.
Pant has had horrible season with the bat which is visible in his numbers. In eight innings of the nine games played, he has managed just 106 runs at an average of 13. Most of his runs came in one innings when he scored 63 - his only fifty of the season. The attacking batter has been kept quite by the bowlers as shows his strike rate of 96.
Know for hitting one-handed sixes and fours at will, Pant has managed just eight fours and five sixes this season.

Pant has had horrible season with the bat which is visible in his numbers. In eight innings of the nine games played, he has managed just 106 runs at an average of 13. Cricket Sports

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper Rishabh Pant is having a nightmare of a season as a batter in IPL 2025. While the team has managed to win five out of nine games, they haven't exuded much confidence as a unit. On Tuesday (Apr 22), they lost against Delhi Capitals and Pant said toss played a huge part in the game. "We were 20 runs short," acknowledged Pant after the loss as DC chased down 160-run target inside 18 overs. Also Watch: DC's KL Rahul finds it 'good to be back in Lucknow' and does courtesy handshake with LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka after win "Toss played a huge part, whoever is bowling first gets a lot of help from the wicket .. we just couldn't get it away. It always happens in Lucknow, wicket becomes better in the second innings, that's how it goes, we can't make excuses but have to learn from it," he added. Pant also spoke about bringing in Ayush Badoni as impact player to replace Mitchell Marsh during LSG's innings. The decision looked odd given the skipper himself was available to bat but did not come. "We are using Ayush as Impact Player to try and give Mayank (Yadav) some game time early in the season, trying to fit him in, since he's just come from NCA. We sent someone to capitalise on wicket like that, Miller came in, we got stuck on that wicket and we need to figure out our best combination," Pant explained. Pant has had horrible season with the bat which is visible in his numbers. In eight innings of the nine games played, he has managed just 106 runs at an average of 13. Most of his runs came in one innings when he scored 63 - his only fifty of the season. The attacking batter has been kept quite by the bowlers as shows his strike rate of 96. Know for hitting one-handed sixes and fours at will, Pant has managed just eight fours and five sixes this season.

IPL 2025 | 'It always happens in Lucknow,' Pant reveals where they lost vs DC and why Badoni came ahead to him to bat

Opener Abishek Porel and KL Rahul struck half centuries and shared a 69-run partnership as Delhi Capitals thrashed Lucknow Super Giants by eight wickets in an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> match here on Tuesday (April 22).
Chasing 160 for victory, Porel scored 51 off 36 balls, while in-form Rahul struck an unbeaten 57 (42 balls) to make it a one-sided contest, as DC completed the task in 17.5 overs. Skipper Axar Patel made 34 not out off 20 balls.
Rahul also completed 5,000 runs in IPL on way to his half-century.
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Earlier in the innings, opener&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/aiden-markram">Aiden Markram</a> scored a half century and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mitchell-marsh">Mitchell Marsh</a> too made a quick 45 but hosts Lucknow Super Giants could only manage 159 for 6 against Delhi Capitals.&nbsp;Markram scored a 33-ball 52, while Marsh smashed a 36-ball 45 as the opening pair put on 87 in 10 overs.
<h2>DC's pace trio</h2>
But LSG lost momentum thereafter as right-arm pacer Mukesh Kumar (4/33) struck twice in the 14th over, taking the wickets of Abdul Samad and Marsh. Ayush Badoni (36 off 21 balls), though struck three boundaries in the last over, bowled by Mukesh, to give some respectability to the total.
The trio of Mukesh Kumar (4/33 in 4 overs), Mitchell Starc (1/25 in 4 overs) and Dushmantha Chameera (1/25 in 3 overs) used different kinds of slower deliveries to perfection as LSG huffed and puffed their way past the 150-run mark after being 87/1 at the end of 10 overs.
In the remaining 10 overs, LSG could manage only 72 runs recording their lowest team total of the tournament so far.&nbsp;Pant's injured palm also hurt LSG's chances of propping up their total with the skipper coming in at No.7 for a two-ball duck.
The diminutive Ayush Badoni (36 off 21 balls), who relies more on timing the ball than brute power, did play his part but one doesn't know if that would be enough considering the depth in the Delhi Capitals batting.&nbsp;It was another superb show by the DC bowling unit, which has been brilliant throughout the first half of the tournament.

Cricket, Sports: LSG lost momentum as right-arm pacer Mukesh Kumar (4/33) struck twice in the 14th over of the innings, taking the wickets of Abdul Samad and Marsh

Opener Abishek Porel and KL Rahul struck half centuries and shared a 69-run partnership as Delhi Capitals thrashed Lucknow Super Giants by eight wickets in an Indian Premier League match here on Tuesday (April 22). Chasing 160 for victory, Porel scored 51 off 36 balls, while in-form Rahul struck an unbeaten 57 (42 balls) to make it a one-sided contest, as DC completed the task in 17.5 overs. Skipper Axar Patel made 34 not out off 20 balls. Rahul also completed 5,000 runs in IPL on way to his half-century. Also Read: Jasprit Bumrah and Smriti Mandhana win top Wisden cricket awards Earlier in the innings, opener Aiden Markram scored a half century and Mitchell Marsh too made a quick 45 but hosts Lucknow Super Giants could only manage 159 for 6 against Delhi Capitals. Markram scored a 33-ball 52, while Marsh smashed a 36-ball 45 as the opening pair put on 87 in 10 overs. DC's pace trio But LSG lost momentum thereafter as right-arm pacer Mukesh Kumar (4/33) struck twice in the 14th over, taking the wickets of Abdul Samad and Marsh. Ayush Badoni (36 off 21 balls), though struck three boundaries in the last over, bowled by Mukesh, to give some respectability to the total. The trio of Mukesh Kumar (4/33 in 4 overs), Mitchell Starc (1/25 in 4 overs) and Dushmantha Chameera (1/25 in 3 overs) used different kinds of slower deliveries to perfection as LSG huffed and puffed their way past the 150-run mark after being 87/1 at the end of 10 overs. In the remaining 10 overs, LSG could manage only 72 runs recording their lowest team total of the tournament so far. Pant's injured palm also hurt LSG's chances of propping up their total with the skipper coming in at No.7 for a two-ball duck. The diminutive Ayush Badoni (36 off 21 balls), who relies more on timing the ball than brute power, did play his part but one doesn't know if that would be enough considering the depth in the Delhi Capitals batting. It was another superb show by the DC bowling unit, which has been brilliant throughout the first half of the tournament.

IPL 2025: Porel, Rahul guide Delhi Capitals to eight-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old batter for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajasthan-royals">Rajasthan Royals</a> (RR), made a solid impression in his IPL debut game against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as he hit a six off the first ball he faced, becoming one of only ten cricketers to ever achieve this feat. Suryavanshi entered the history books during the IPL face-off RR vs LSG at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday (April 19).
The left-handed batter began his IPL season by effortlessly clearing the ropes off Shardul Thakur&rsquo;s delivery and hitting a spectacular six, setting the stage for the rest of his innings. He was eventually dismissed after scoring a quickfire 34 off just 20 balls, which included three sixes and two fours. His innings came at an impressive strike rate of 170. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/vaibhav-suryavanshi">Suryavanshi</a> also contributed to the run chase alongside <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/yashasvi-jaiswal">Yashasvi Jaiswal</a>, with whom he added 85 runs during the chase of 181 runs.
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<h2>Shattering records</h2>
Here are the three records that Suryavanshi shattered on his very first day in the IPL: At an age of 14 years and 23 days, he has now become the youngest debutant in IPL history. Suryavanshi broke the previous record of Prayas Ray Barman, who debuted in IPL at the age of 16 years and 157 days in 2019 while playing for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Suryavanshi has also become the youngest player in IPL history to score a six off the first ball. The record previously belonged to Riyan Parag of Rajasthan Royals and he did so at an age of 17 years and 161 days. Lastly, Suryavanshi has also become the youngest player to have scored a four too. This record had stood for six years prior to Saturday&rsquo;s match with Prayas Ray Barman as the record holder.&nbsp; &nbsp; Other than Barman&rsquo;s record, Suryavanshi has also joined the likes who hold the record for being the first ever to start their IPL career with a six on the first ball faced. Those on this list include Rob Quiney from Australia, Andre Russell, Carlos Braithwaite along with many others.

Cricket, Sports: Suryavanshi broke the previous record of Prayas Ray Barman, who debuted in IPL at the age of 16 years and 157 days in 2019 while playing for RCB

Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the 14-year-old batter for Rajasthan Royals (RR), made a solid impression in his IPL debut game against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as he hit a six off the first ball he faced, becoming one of only ten cricketers to ever achieve this feat. Suryavanshi entered the history books during the IPL face-off RR vs LSG at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Saturday (April 19). The left-handed batter began his IPL season by effortlessly clearing the ropes off Shardul Thakur’s delivery and hitting a spectacular six, setting the stage for the rest of his innings. He was eventually dismissed after scoring a quickfire 34 off just 20 balls, which included three sixes and two fours. His innings came at an impressive strike rate of 170. Suryavanshi also contributed to the run chase alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal, with whom he added 85 runs during the chase of 181 runs. Also Read: Aryna Sabalenka reaches Stuttgart semis as Ostapenko extends Swiatek mastery Shattering records Here are the three records that Suryavanshi shattered on his very first day in the IPL: At an age of 14 years and 23 days, he has now become the youngest debutant in IPL history. Suryavanshi broke the previous record of Prayas Ray Barman, who debuted in IPL at the age of 16 years and 157 days in 2019 while playing for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Suryavanshi has also become the youngest player in IPL history to score a six off the first ball. The record previously belonged to Riyan Parag of Rajasthan Royals and he did so at an age of 17 years and 161 days. Lastly, Suryavanshi has also become the youngest player to have scored a four too. This record had stood for six years prior to Saturday’s match with Prayas Ray Barman as the record holder. Other than Barman’s record, Suryavanshi has also joined the likes who hold the record for being the first ever to start their IPL career with a six on the first ball faced. Those on this list include Rob Quiney from Australia, Andre Russell, Carlos Braithwaite along with many others.

IPL 2025: Here's how many records 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi broke on his IPL debut for RR against LSG

The match between Rajasthan Royals and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants">Lucknow Super Giants</a> had everything a fan could ask for. Drama. Thrills. Last minute tension and if that wasn't enough, there was <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/vaibhav-suryavanshi">Vaibhav Suryavanshi</a>.&nbsp;At 14 year and 23 days, Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest ever IPL debutant when he walked out to bat for Rajasthan Royals against Lucknow Super Giants
Last year, he created history by becoming the youngest to bag an IPL deal at 13 years. At the IPL 2025 mega auction, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajasthan-royals">Rajasthan Royals</a> purchased the rookie left-hander for a whopping $11 million (INR 1.1 crore).
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆. 𝐀. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 🫡 Welcome to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a>, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 🤝 Updates ▶️ <a href="https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl">https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RRvLSG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RRvLSG</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/rajasthanroyals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rajasthanroyals</a> <a href="https://t.co/MizhfSax4q">pic.twitter.com/MizhfSax4q</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1913626742176223437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2025</a></blockquote>

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Suryavanshi first rose to the limelight after hitting his maiden triple hundred &ndash; an unbeaten 332, in the Randhir Verma Tournament, an Under-19 competition in Bihar. Thus far, he&rsquo;s played five first-class matches, scoring 100 runs at 10.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/cricket-ipl-2025-i-dont-know-i-blame-myself-rrs-riyan-parag-after-loss-to-lsg-8981077">IPL 2025: I don't know, I blame myself: RR's Riyan Parag after loss to LSG</a>
The 14-year-old had a solid debut against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as he started off his innings with a six on his first ball, making him the 10th player to do so.
<h2>A debut to remember</h2>
Suryavanshi joined the elite list during the IPL clash between RR and LSG at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium.&nbsp;The teenage batter started his IPL journey by smoking <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shardul-thakur">Shardul Thakur</a> for a massive six over covers, leaving everyone stunned in the stands and the commentators. His innings was ended by Aiden Markram, who got him stumped by Rishabh Pant for an impactful 34 in 20 balls, with two fours and three sixes, at a strike rate of 170. He also had an 85-run stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal during a run-chase of 181.
Now, Vaibhav, aged 14 years and 23 days old, the youngest IPL player in history, has joined the elite company of Australia's Rob Quiney, the Caribbean's Kevon Cooper, West Indies icon Andre Russell, West Indies all-rounder Carlos Braithwaite, India's Aniket Choudhary, West Indies' Javon Searles, India's Siddhesh Lad, Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana, and India's Sameer Rizwi in the elite company of players who kickstarted their IPL careers with a six on the very first ball.

Cricket, Sports: At 14 year and 23 days, Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest ever IPL debutant when he walked out to bat for Rajasthan Royals against LSG

The match between Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants had everything a fan could ask for. Drama. Thrills. Last minute tension and if that wasn't enough, there was Vaibhav Suryavanshi. At 14 year and 23 days, Vaibhav Suryavanshi became the youngest ever IPL debutant when he walked out to bat for Rajasthan Royals against Lucknow Super Giants Last year, he created history by becoming the youngest to bag an IPL deal at 13 years. At the IPL 2025 mega auction, Rajasthan Royals purchased the rookie left-hander for a whopping $11 million (INR 1.1 crore). 𝐌𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆. 𝐀. 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓 🫡 Welcome to #TATAIPL, Vaibhav Suryavanshi 🤝 Updates ▶️ https://t.co/02MS6ICvQl#RRvLSG | @rajasthanroyals pic.twitter.com/MizhfSax4q — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 19, 2025 Suryavanshi first rose to the limelight after hitting his maiden triple hundred – an unbeaten 332, in the Randhir Verma Tournament, an Under-19 competition in Bihar. Thus far, he’s played five first-class matches, scoring 100 runs at 10. Also Read: IPL 2025: I don't know, I blame myself: RR's Riyan Parag after loss to LSG The 14-year-old had a solid debut against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as he started off his innings with a six on his first ball, making him the 10th player to do so. A debut to remember Suryavanshi joined the elite list during the IPL clash between RR and LSG at Jaipur's Sawai Mansingh Stadium. The teenage batter started his IPL journey by smoking Shardul Thakur for a massive six over covers, leaving everyone stunned in the stands and the commentators. His innings was ended by Aiden Markram, who got him stumped by Rishabh Pant for an impactful 34 in 20 balls, with two fours and three sixes, at a strike rate of 170. He also had an 85-run stand with Yashasvi Jaiswal during a run-chase of 181. Now, Vaibhav, aged 14 years and 23 days old, the youngest IPL player in history, has joined the elite company of Australia's Rob Quiney, the Caribbean's Kevon Cooper, West Indies icon Andre Russell, West Indies all-rounder Carlos Braithwaite, India's Aniket Choudhary, West Indies' Javon Searles, India's Siddhesh Lad, Sri Lanka's Maheesh Theekshana, and India's Sameer Rizwi in the elite company of players who kickstarted their IPL careers with a six on the very first ball.

IPL 2025: 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi smashes six off first ball on IPL debut, joins THIS elite club

At one point of time everything looked in order for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajasthan-royals">Rajasthan Royals</a> as they were chasing down a target of 181 set by Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) 2025 on Saturday (April 19).
But, a brilliant last over by pacer Avesh Khan sealed the deal for LSG as hosts suffered their fourth consecutive defeat. Speaking after the match, Rajasthan Royals' stand-in captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/riyan-parag">Riyan Parag</a> couldn't put his finger on what exactly went wrong for his side, considering they were in the game till the 18th-19th over. He just felt that a couple of balls cost them the game against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and blamed himself for the loss.
"Feeling a little hard to process the emotions, not sure what we did wrong. We were in the game till the 18th or 19th over. I probably should have finished it in the 19th over. I blame myself. We just have to put one game together collectively for 40 overs; only then can we win. We did really well (with the ball), the last over was unfortunate, thought that we would stop them for 165-170," Parag said after the match.
Lucknow Super Giants' skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rishabh-pant">Rishabh Pant</a> trusted experienced pacer Avesh Khan and handed him the responsibility of ensuring their comeback story ended on a fairytale note. Avesh, with his searing yorkers, exposed Rajasthan's Achilles heel and successfully defended nine runs in the final over to ensure LSG register a thrilling win.
<h2>'A few balls can cost you a game'</h2>
While Pant bore a cheeky smile on his face as Lucknow managed to get out of jail by the barest of margins, Parag wondered what went wrong for them and took the blame on himself, saying he should have finished the game himself in the penultimate over.
After cruising on their home strip during the chase, Rajasthan was 25 runs away from breaking their losing streak and finding some winning momentum. Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal, two set batters, stood on the crease with the mantle of steering the Royals to victory.&nbsp;While many expected it to be a walk in the park, Avesh made things interesting in the 18th over by removing both set batters in the same over. Rajasthan's innings derailed and never found the way to track as they lost by two runs.
Apart from Avesh's dazzling display, Rajasthan's fate changed in the final over, bowled by Sandeep Sharma in the first innings. Abdul Samad flaunted his power-hitting muscle and dispatched the ball for a staggering four towering maximums to lift Lucknow to 180/5.
"Sandy (Sandeep Sharma) bhai is trusted. He's only had one bad game. Samad batted really well. We should've chased that down. Today was perfect; there were no complaints about the wicket. We were right in it, just a few balls can cost you an IPL game," he signed off.

Cricket, Sports: Despite RR dominating most part of the game, the match went right down the wire as the hosts suffer fourth consecutive defeat in ongoing edition of IPL

At one point of time everything looked in order for Rajasthan Royals as they were chasing down a target of 181 set by Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 on Saturday (April 19). But, a brilliant last over by pacer Avesh Khan sealed the deal for LSG as hosts suffered their fourth consecutive defeat. Speaking after the match, Rajasthan Royals' stand-in captain Riyan Parag couldn't put his finger on what exactly went wrong for his side, considering they were in the game till the 18th-19th over. He just felt that a couple of balls cost them the game against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and blamed himself for the loss. "Feeling a little hard to process the emotions, not sure what we did wrong. We were in the game till the 18th or 19th over. I probably should have finished it in the 19th over. I blame myself. We just have to put one game together collectively for 40 overs; only then can we win. We did really well (with the ball), the last over was unfortunate, thought that we would stop them for 165-170," Parag said after the match. Lucknow Super Giants' skipper Rishabh Pant trusted experienced pacer Avesh Khan and handed him the responsibility of ensuring their comeback story ended on a fairytale note. Avesh, with his searing yorkers, exposed Rajasthan's Achilles heel and successfully defended nine runs in the final over to ensure LSG register a thrilling win. 'A few balls can cost you a game' While Pant bore a cheeky smile on his face as Lucknow managed to get out of jail by the barest of margins, Parag wondered what went wrong for them and took the blame on himself, saying he should have finished the game himself in the penultimate over. After cruising on their home strip during the chase, Rajasthan was 25 runs away from breaking their losing streak and finding some winning momentum. Parag and Yashasvi Jaiswal, two set batters, stood on the crease with the mantle of steering the Royals to victory. While many expected it to be a walk in the park, Avesh made things interesting in the 18th over by removing both set batters in the same over. Rajasthan's innings derailed and never found the way to track as they lost by two runs. Apart from Avesh's dazzling display, Rajasthan's fate changed in the final over, bowled by Sandeep Sharma in the first innings. Abdul Samad flaunted his power-hitting muscle and dispatched the ball for a staggering four towering maximums to lift Lucknow to 180/5. "Sandy (Sandeep Sharma) bhai is trusted. He's only had one bad game. Samad batted really well. We should've chased that down. Today was perfect; there were no complaints about the wicket. We were right in it, just a few balls can cost you an IPL game," he signed off.

IPL 2025: I don't know, I blame myself: RR's Riyan Parag after loss to LSG

Off the countless firsts in cricket that will blow everyone&rsquo;s mind &ndash; 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi is set to become the youngest-ever cricketer in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Representing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajasthan-royal" rel="dofollow">Rajasthan Royals</a> in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ipl-2025" rel="dofollow">IPL 2025</a>, Vaibhav is on the Impact Sub list and likely to bat against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants" rel="dofollow">Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)</a> on Saturday; aged 14 years and 23 days, Vaibhav will walk in the XI as an injury replacement for regular captain Sanju Samson.
Samson suffered an injury during the side&rsquo;s previous game against the Delhi Capitals, retiring midway through his innings. Although Rajasthan&rsquo;s head coach Rahul Dravid detailed Samson&rsquo;s injury status ahead of the LSG game, saying he&rsquo;s walking on thin ice regarding his fitness, visuals of Riyan Parag walking down for the toss confirmed Samson&rsquo;s absence.
Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/abhishek-nayar-finds-solace-in-ipl-2025-return-after-bcci-cuts-short-contract-kkr-kolkata-knight-riders-8979855" rel="dofollow">Abhishek Nayar finds solace in IPL 2025 return after BCCI cuts short contract</a>
Deciding to bowl first after winning the toss, Parag revealed that Vaibhav would play Saturday&rsquo;s encounter, coming in as Samson&rsquo;s replacement; with that, he created history by becoming the youngest ever to play for an IPL team.
Meanwhile, Prayas Ray Barman, who made his IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at 16 years and 157 days in 2019 against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), was the previous youngest cricketer in IPL.
&ldquo;We were looking to bowl, it is a little bit warm under lights, should be better than the last time. Vaibhav, the youngster, comes in. It's been kinda tricky; we've been doing small bits right, but we haven't been able to put a collective performance together; we've been having honest chats as a team. We love playing here, we know the conditions well, hope we can put that to good use,&rdquo; Parag said at the toss.
<h2>Vaibhav&rsquo;s early rise to success</h2>
Vaibhav is living every kid&rsquo;s dream in the country, playing his first IPL game as a 14-year-old.
Last year, he created history by becoming the youngest to bag an IPL deal at 13 years. At the IPL 2025 mega auction, Rajasthan Royals purchased the rookie left-hander for a whopping INR 1.1 crore.
Meanwhile, Suryavanshi first rose to the limelight after hitting his maiden triple hundred &ndash; an unbeaten 332, in the Randhir Verma Tournament, an Under-19 competition in Bihar. Thus far, he&rsquo;s played five first-class matches, scoring 100 runs at 10.&nbsp;
(With inputs from agencies)

Born in 2011, Vaibhav is the first player to play in the IPL after its inception in 2008. He will open the innings for the Rajasthan Royals. Sports, Cricket

Off the countless firsts in cricket that will blow everyone’s mind – 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi is set to become the youngest-ever cricketer in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Representing Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025, Vaibhav is on the Impact Sub list and likely to bat against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Saturday; aged 14 years and 23 days, Vaibhav will walk in the XI as an injury replacement for regular captain Sanju Samson. Samson suffered an injury during the side’s previous game against the Delhi Capitals, retiring midway through his innings. Although Rajasthan’s head coach Rahul Dravid detailed Samson’s injury status ahead of the LSG game, saying he’s walking on thin ice regarding his fitness, visuals of Riyan Parag walking down for the toss confirmed Samson’s absence. Also read | Abhishek Nayar finds solace in IPL 2025 return after BCCI cuts short contract Deciding to bowl first after winning the toss, Parag revealed that Vaibhav would play Saturday’s encounter, coming in as Samson’s replacement; with that, he created history by becoming the youngest ever to play for an IPL team. Meanwhile, Prayas Ray Barman, who made his IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at 16 years and 157 days in 2019 against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH), was the previous youngest cricketer in IPL. “We were looking to bowl, it is a little bit warm under lights, should be better than the last time. Vaibhav, the youngster, comes in. It's been kinda tricky; we've been doing small bits right, but we haven't been able to put a collective performance together; we've been having honest chats as a team. We love playing here, we know the conditions well, hope we can put that to good use,” Parag said at the toss. Vaibhav’s early rise to success Vaibhav is living every kid’s dream in the country, playing his first IPL game as a 14-year-old. Last year, he created history by becoming the youngest to bag an IPL deal at 13 years. At the IPL 2025 mega auction, Rajasthan Royals purchased the rookie left-hander for a whopping INR 1.1 crore. Meanwhile, Suryavanshi first rose to the limelight after hitting his maiden triple hundred – an unbeaten 332, in the Randhir Verma Tournament, an Under-19 competition in Bihar. Thus far, he’s played five first-class matches, scoring 100 runs at 10. (With inputs from agencies)

RR vs LSG: Meet Vaibhav Suryavanshi, 14, the youngest IPL debutant

After a video clip surfaced showing Rajasthan Royals skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/sanju-samson">Sanju Samson</a> not joining the team huddle where team's head coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rahul-dravid">Rahul Dravid</a> was seen in discussion with the players and the support staff, rumours of a falling-out between Sanju Samson and Rahul Dravid started flying.
However, head coach Rahul Dravid, ahead of the match against Lucknow Super Giants during a press conference cleared the air by saying that all the reports are 'baseless' and he stressed that the team remain united in their pursuit to seal place in playoffs.
&ldquo;I don't know where these reports are coming from. Sanju and I are on the same page,&rdquo; Dravid said.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/this-argentine-wc-winner-is-named-as-laureus-ambassador-ahead-of-25th-anniversary-of-laureus-world-sports-awards-8977908">THIS Argentine WC winner is named as Laureus Ambassador ahead of 25th anniversary of Laureus World Sports Awards</a>
&ldquo;He's a very integral part of our team. He's involved in each and every decision and discussion. Sometimes, when you lose games and things don't go right, you face criticism and we can take it on our performances, but we can't do anything about this baseless stuff. The spirit of the team is really good, I'm impressed with how hard these guys work. One of the things people don't understand is how hurt the players feel when they don't perform,&rdquo; the Dravid explained.
<h2>Sanju's availability remains doubtful</h2>
In their last match against Delhi Capitals, which <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rajasthan-royals">Rajasthan Royals</a> lost in Super Over, Sanju was retired hurt after he made 31 off 19 balls, as he reportedly suffered a side strain. His availability against Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday (April 19) remains doubtful.
The RR skipper appeared to be in discomfort after attempting a cut shot off Vipraj Nigam, prompting the physio to examine the left side of his ribcage. Although he faced the next delivery, Samson soon walked off the field.
"Sanju experienced a bit of pain in the abdominal area. So we have gone for scans. He has done some scans today so we are waiting the results of those scans. And then once we get a bit more clarity around the scans and the severity of (the injury) we'll take a decision going forward and we'll see what happens," head coach Rahul Dravid said in the pre-match press conference on Friday.

Cricket, Sports: Ahead of their match against LSG, Dravid called all the reports 'baseless' and maintained that the team remain united in their pursuit of the playoffs

After a video clip surfaced showing Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson not joining the team huddle where team's head coach Rahul Dravid was seen in discussion with the players and the support staff, rumours of a falling-out between Sanju Samson and Rahul Dravid started flying. However, head coach Rahul Dravid, ahead of the match against Lucknow Super Giants during a press conference cleared the air by saying that all the reports are 'baseless' and he stressed that the team remain united in their pursuit to seal place in playoffs. “I don't know where these reports are coming from. Sanju and I are on the same page,” Dravid said. Also Read: THIS Argentine WC winner is named as Laureus Ambassador ahead of 25th anniversary of Laureus World Sports Awards “He's a very integral part of our team. He's involved in each and every decision and discussion. Sometimes, when you lose games and things don't go right, you face criticism and we can take it on our performances, but we can't do anything about this baseless stuff. The spirit of the team is really good, I'm impressed with how hard these guys work. One of the things people don't understand is how hurt the players feel when they don't perform,” the Dravid explained. Sanju's availability remains doubtful In their last match against Delhi Capitals, which Rajasthan Royals lost in Super Over, Sanju was retired hurt after he made 31 off 19 balls, as he reportedly suffered a side strain. His availability against Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday (April 19) remains doubtful. The RR skipper appeared to be in discomfort after attempting a cut shot off Vipraj Nigam, prompting the physio to examine the left side of his ribcage. Although he faced the next delivery, Samson soon walked off the field. "Sanju experienced a bit of pain in the abdominal area. So we have gone for scans. He has done some scans today so we are waiting the results of those scans. And then once we get a bit more clarity around the scans and the severity of (the injury) we'll take a decision going forward and we'll see what happens," head coach Rahul Dravid said in the pre-match press conference on Friday.

IPL 2025: RR coach Rahul Dravid breaks silence on Sanju Samson 'fall out' rumours, says 'Sanju and I are…'

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) finally got back to winning ways after five straight losses in the ongoing IPL 2025. They beat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) &nbsp;by five wickets in a thrilling match at Ekana Stadium on Monday ( Apr 14), all thanks to a quick cameo from CSK captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mahendra-singh-dhoni">MS Dhoni</a> and a calm finish by <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shivam-dube">Shivam Dube</a>.
It was only CSK&rsquo;s second win this season and they still remain at the bottom of the points table. But the team hopes this victory will bring some much-needed confidence.
&ldquo;Winning always feels good,&rdquo; Dhoni said at the post-match presentation. &ldquo;In a long tournament like the IPL, every game matters. Unfortunately, the earlier games didn&rsquo;t go our way. Sometimes, when things don&rsquo;t work out, God makes it really hard. Today was one of those tough games.&rdquo;
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-at-43-csk-skipper-ms-dhoni-breaks-11-year-old-record-and-becomes-first-player-in-history-of-ipl-to-8964429">IPL 2025: At 43, CSK skipper MS Dhoni breaks 11-year-old record and becomes first player in history of IPL to...</a>
Dhoni remained unbeaten on 26 runs off 11 balls. He was named Player of the Match for his valuable knock. Coming to the match, CSK struggled while chasing down the target, losing wickets, and failing to get a good start. But, Shivam Dube kept his cool.
<h2>'I waited for the right time'</h2>
Dube played a steady knock, scoring 43* off 37 balls. In the 19th over, he smashed 19 runs off <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shardul-thakur">Shardul Thakur</a>, including a six off a no-ball. That over made the chase much easier, with only four runs needed in the last over. Dube finished the job with a boundary.
&ldquo;This win means a lot,&rdquo; Dube said. &ldquo;We had lost five games in a row, and that&rsquo;s not what CSK is known for. I just wanted to stay till the end and finish it. After we lost some wickets, I decided not to go hard too early. I waited for the right time.&rdquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t try to hit every ball hard. The bowlers were bowling well, so I focused on timing and placement," he signed off.

Sports: It was only CSK’s second win this season and they still linger at bottom of the points table. But, the team hopes this win will bring some much-needed confidence

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) finally got back to winning ways after five straight losses in the ongoing IPL 2025. They beat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by five wickets in a thrilling match at Ekana Stadium on Monday ( Apr 14), all thanks to a quick cameo from CSK captain MS Dhoni and a calm finish by Shivam Dube. It was only CSK’s second win this season and they still remain at the bottom of the points table. But the team hopes this victory will bring some much-needed confidence. “Winning always feels good,” Dhoni said at the post-match presentation. “In a long tournament like the IPL, every game matters. Unfortunately, the earlier games didn’t go our way. Sometimes, when things don’t work out, God makes it really hard. Today was one of those tough games.” Also Read: IPL 2025: At 43, CSK skipper MS Dhoni breaks 11-year-old record and becomes first player in history of IPL to... Dhoni remained unbeaten on 26 runs off 11 balls. He was named Player of the Match for his valuable knock. Coming to the match, CSK struggled while chasing down the target, losing wickets, and failing to get a good start. But, Shivam Dube kept his cool. 'I waited for the right time' Dube played a steady knock, scoring 43* off 37 balls. In the 19th over, he smashed 19 runs off Shardul Thakur, including a six off a no-ball. That over made the chase much easier, with only four runs needed in the last over. Dube finished the job with a boundary. “This win means a lot,” Dube said. “We had lost five games in a row, and that’s not what CSK is known for. I just wanted to stay till the end and finish it. After we lost some wickets, I decided not to go hard too early. I waited for the right time.” “I didn’t try to hit every ball hard. The bowlers were bowling well, so I focused on timing and placement," he signed off.

IPL 2025: 'At times, God makes it really hard', says skipper MS Dhoni as CSK ends losing streak

Chennai Super Kings beat Lucknow Super Giants by five-wickets in the ongoing <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/indian-premier-league">Indian Premier League</a> (IPL) 2025 and in turn&nbsp;registered their first win in their last six matches on Monday (April 14). <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shivam-dube">Shivam Dube</a> (43 not out of 37 balls) and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mahendra-singh-dhoni">MS Dhoni</a> (26 not out of 11 balls) helped the team end the losing streak.&nbsp;
During the game, most of the cameras were focused on MS Dhoni when he arrived at the crease. CSK has been struggling to keep up with other teams, and Dhoni proved that he still possesses the ability to lead them. The CSK captain made 26 runs in 11 balls and along with Shivam Dube, CSK scaled down the target rather comfortably.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-big-blow-of-srh-as-aussie-spinner-adam-zampa-rule-out-for-season-with-shoulder-injury-8964119">IPL 2025 | Big blow of SRH as Aussie spinner Adam Zampa rule out for season with shoulder injury</a>
Interestingly, during the prize ceremony, MS Dhoni was awarded the Player of the Match. While Dhoni, fondly knows as 'Thala' (leader) may not have agreed with the decision by the organisers, this resulted in Dhoni scripting yet another IPL record.
<h2>CSK breaks losing streak&nbsp;</h2>
His POTM award meant that he became the oldest player in the history of the cash-rich league to receive the prize, at an age fof 43 years and 280 days. In doing so, the former India captain broke a 11-year-old record and he eclipsed Pravin Tambe's record, which stood at an age of 42 years and 208 days.
Coming to the match, chasing down the target of 167, CSK opened the innings with Shaik Rasheed and Rachin Ravindra. Rachin contributed with 37 off 22 balls, while Rasheed made 27 off 19 balls. Shivam, who brough in as Impact Player made sure that CSK crosses the finshing line. For Lucknow Super Giants, Ravi Bishnoi was the pick of the bowlers as he took 2/18 from his three overs.
Earlier in the innings, Lucknow Super Giants' captain&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rishabh-pant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rishabh Pant</a>&nbsp;smashed a fine half-century as LSG posted a total of 166/7 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL clash at Ekana Stadium here on Monday (April 14). Pant made 63 in 49 balls. His innings was laced with four boundaries and as many sixes.

Sports: The Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni broke an 11-year-old record as he produced a match-winning performance against Lucknow Super Giants

Chennai Super Kings beat Lucknow Super Giants by five-wickets in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and in turn registered their first win in their last six matches on Monday (April 14). Shivam Dube (43 not out of 37 balls) and MS Dhoni (26 not out of 11 balls) helped the team end the losing streak. During the game, most of the cameras were focused on MS Dhoni when he arrived at the crease. CSK has been struggling to keep up with other teams, and Dhoni proved that he still possesses the ability to lead them. The CSK captain made 26 runs in 11 balls and along with Shivam Dube, CSK scaled down the target rather comfortably. Also Read: IPL 2025 | Big blow of SRH as Aussie spinner Adam Zampa rule out for season with shoulder injury Interestingly, during the prize ceremony, MS Dhoni was awarded the Player of the Match. While Dhoni, fondly knows as 'Thala' (leader) may not have agreed with the decision by the organisers, this resulted in Dhoni scripting yet another IPL record. CSK breaks losing streak His POTM award meant that he became the oldest player in the history of the cash-rich league to receive the prize, at an age fof 43 years and 280 days. In doing so, the former India captain broke a 11-year-old record and he eclipsed Pravin Tambe's record, which stood at an age of 42 years and 208 days. Coming to the match, chasing down the target of 167, CSK opened the innings with Shaik Rasheed and Rachin Ravindra. Rachin contributed with 37 off 22 balls, while Rasheed made 27 off 19 balls. Shivam, who brough in as Impact Player made sure that CSK crosses the finshing line. For Lucknow Super Giants, Ravi Bishnoi was the pick of the bowlers as he took 2/18 from his three overs. Earlier in the innings, Lucknow Super Giants' captain Rishabh Pant smashed a fine half-century as LSG posted a total of 166/7 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL clash at Ekana Stadium here on Monday (April 14). Pant made 63 in 49 balls. His innings was laced with four boundaries and as many sixes.

IPL 2025: At 43, CSK skipper MS Dhoni breaks 11-year-old record and becomes first player in history of IPL to...

Just when it looked like Rishabh Pant was getting back in form, he played an inning that confused many people. Fans cheered when he hit those big sixes, but between those moments, the silence of dot balls spoke louder than the boundaries.
On Monday (Apr 15), Lucknow Super Giants Skipper, Pant scored 63 runs off 49 balls against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. His knock showed signs of returning to form as previously he had managed to score just 40 runs in his last five innings. But even with his highest score of the season, his strike rate and approach came under the scanner.
Also Read - <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-ipl-2025-ms-dhoni-not-amused-with-potm-award-after-csk-beat-lsg-says-why-me-8963695" aria-label="IPL 2025 | MS Dhoni not amused with POTM award after CSK beat LSG, says 'why me'">IPL 2025 | MS Dhoni not amused with POTM award after CSK beat LSG, says 'why me'</a>
Pant walked in after LSG lost two early wickets in the powerplay. He started well, racing to 27 off 16 balls. But things took a strange turn, at one point as he was 38 off 38 balls. His strike rate dipped down from 168 to 100. The LSG skipper especially struggled against the Afghan spinner Noor Ahmad, scoring only six runs off 15 balls and playing 10 dot balls against him.
In total, Pant played 21 dot balls in his innings. His dot-ball percentage this season is the worst among batters who&rsquo;ve faced at least 50 balls &mdash; 48.48%. His overall strike rate stands at just 104.04 which is lower than the potential he has.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer wasn&rsquo;t too impressed. &ldquo;I don&rsquo;t know whether he looks to do that [rotate strike],&rdquo; Jaffer said on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut. &ldquo;Kohli is a master at that&hellip; Pant sometimes does get stuck&hellip; He needs to get better at rotating strike.&rdquo;
Jaffer also noted how Pant rarely hits down the ground: &ldquo;He always looks to go towards the leg side&hellip; I think he needs to access down the ground a lot more.&rdquo;
Abhinav Mukund added, &ldquo;I like Pant when he is moving around&hellip; It felt like that cover area was closed today for business for him and that&rsquo;s a bit concerning.&rdquo;
Even with runs coming, Pant&rsquo;s approach for rotating strikes during the middle over still needs work.

In total, Pant played 21 dot balls in his innings. His dot-ball percentage this season is the worst among batters who’ve faced at least 50 balls — 48.48%. Cricket Sports

Just when it looked like Rishabh Pant was getting back in form, he played an inning that confused many people. Fans cheered when he hit those big sixes, but between those moments, the silence of dot balls spoke louder than the boundaries. On Monday (Apr 15), Lucknow Super Giants Skipper, Pant scored 63 runs off 49 balls against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. His knock showed signs of returning to form as previously he had managed to score just 40 runs in his last five innings. But even with his highest score of the season, his strike rate and approach came under the scanner. Also Read - IPL 2025 | MS Dhoni not amused with POTM award after CSK beat LSG, says 'why me' Pant walked in after LSG lost two early wickets in the powerplay. He started well, racing to 27 off 16 balls. But things took a strange turn, at one point as he was 38 off 38 balls. His strike rate dipped down from 168 to 100. The LSG skipper especially struggled against the Afghan spinner Noor Ahmad, scoring only six runs off 15 balls and playing 10 dot balls against him. In total, Pant played 21 dot balls in his innings. His dot-ball percentage this season is the worst among batters who’ve faced at least 50 balls — 48.48%. His overall strike rate stands at just 104.04 which is lower than the potential he has. Former India opener Wasim Jaffer wasn’t too impressed. “I don’t know whether he looks to do that [rotate strike],” Jaffer said on ESPNcricinfo TimeOut. “Kohli is a master at that… Pant sometimes does get stuck… He needs to get better at rotating strike.” Jaffer also noted how Pant rarely hits down the ground: “He always looks to go towards the leg side… I think he needs to access down the ground a lot more.” Abhinav Mukund added, “I like Pant when he is moving around… It felt like that cover area was closed today for business for him and that’s a bit concerning.” Even with runs coming, Pant’s approach for rotating strikes during the middle over still needs work.

IPL 2025 | 'The shots came, but not the strike' — Pant's knock against CSK raises questions

Shivam Dube (43 not out off 37 balls) along with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mahendra-singh-dhoni">MS Dhoni</a> (26 not out off 11 balls) helped Chennai Super Kings beat Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing Indian Premier League clash on Monday (April 14). This was CSK's first win in their last six matches.
Chasing down the target of 167, CSK opened the innings with Shaik Rasheed and Rachin Ravindra. Rachin contributed with 37 off 22 balls, while Rasheed made 27 off 19 balls. Shivam, who brough in as Impact Player made sure that CSK crosses the finshing line. For Lucknow Super Giants, Ravi Bishnoi was the pick of the bowlers as he took 2/18 from his three overs.
Earlier in the innings, Lucknow Super Giants' captain&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rishabh-pant">Rishabh Pant</a> smashed a fine half-century as LSG posted a total of 166/7 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL clash at Ekana Stadium here on Monday (April 14).&nbsp;Pant made 63 in 49 balls. His innings was laced with four boundaries and as many sixes.
After being put to bat first by CSK, LSG was off to a poor start. Khaleel Ahmed continued his first-over heroics in the season, getting opener Aiden Markram for just six in six balls at the conclusion of the first over, thanks to a fine diving catch from Rahul Tripathi.
CSK put another roadblock on LSG's path as Anshul Kambhoj got the big wicket of an in-form Nicholas Pooran for just eight in nine balls. LSG were 23/2 after four overs. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mitchell-marsh">Mitchell Marsh</a> and skipper Rishabh Pant rebuild the innings, with both taking to the attack against pacers. At the end of six overs, LSG was 42/2 in six overs, with Mitchell (22*) and Rishabh (6*) unbeaten.
<h2>Pant hitting sixes in some style</h2>
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LSG reached the 50-run mark in 6.3 overs, thanks to a reverse scoop by Pant that went for a six.&nbsp;The 50-run stand between the duo ended with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/ravindra-jadeja">Ravindra Jadeja</a> getting Marsh clean bowled for 30 in 25 balls, with two fours and two sixes. LSG was 73/3 in 9.3 overs. At the end of 10 overs, LSG was 78/3, with Ayush Badoni (5*) joining Pant (28*).
Pant eased off some pressure, hitting Matheesha Pathirana for two sixes, completing his first IPL 2025 fifty in 42 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes. The 18th over by Pathirana brought 18 runs for LSG. LSG ended at 166/7 in their 20 overs, with Pathirana getting Shardul Thakur (6) on the final ball.

Sports: Chennai Super Kings defeated Lucknow Super Giants by five wickets to break their run of losses in the IPL. This was CSK's first win in their last six matches

Shivam Dube (43 not out off 37 balls) along with MS Dhoni (26 not out off 11 balls) helped Chennai Super Kings beat Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing Indian Premier League clash on Monday (April 14). This was CSK's first win in their last six matches. Chasing down the target of 167, CSK opened the innings with Shaik Rasheed and Rachin Ravindra. Rachin contributed with 37 off 22 balls, while Rasheed made 27 off 19 balls. Shivam, who brough in as Impact Player made sure that CSK crosses the finshing line. For Lucknow Super Giants, Ravi Bishnoi was the pick of the bowlers as he took 2/18 from his three overs. Earlier in the innings, Lucknow Super Giants' captain Rishabh Pant smashed a fine half-century as LSG posted a total of 166/7 against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL clash at Ekana Stadium here on Monday (April 14). Pant made 63 in 49 balls. His innings was laced with four boundaries and as many sixes. After being put to bat first by CSK, LSG was off to a poor start. Khaleel Ahmed continued his first-over heroics in the season, getting opener Aiden Markram for just six in six balls at the conclusion of the first over, thanks to a fine diving catch from Rahul Tripathi. CSK put another roadblock on LSG's path as Anshul Kambhoj got the big wicket of an in-form Nicholas Pooran for just eight in nine balls. LSG were 23/2 after four overs. Mitchell Marsh and skipper Rishabh Pant rebuild the innings, with both taking to the attack against pacers. At the end of six overs, LSG was 42/2 in six overs, with Mitchell (22*) and Rishabh (6*) unbeaten. Pant hitting sixes in some style View this post on Instagram A post shared by IPL (@iplt20) LSG reached the 50-run mark in 6.3 overs, thanks to a reverse scoop by Pant that went for a six. The 50-run stand between the duo ended with Ravindra Jadeja getting Marsh clean bowled for 30 in 25 balls, with two fours and two sixes. LSG was 73/3 in 9.3 overs. At the end of 10 overs, LSG was 78/3, with Ayush Badoni (5*) joining Pant (28*). Pant eased off some pressure, hitting Matheesha Pathirana for two sixes, completing his first IPL 2025 fifty in 42 balls, with four boundaries and three sixes. The 18th over by Pathirana brought 18 runs for LSG. LSG ended at 166/7 in their 20 overs, with Pathirana getting Shardul Thakur (6) on the final ball.

IPL 2025 | Dube, MS Dhoni steer CSK to five-wicket win over Lucknow Super Giants

In a major boost, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) express pacer Mayank Yadav is expected to join the team on Tuesday (Apr 15) and should be available for the match on Saturday (Apr 19). LSG, who have been pretty good this season with four wins in six games, face Rajasthan Royals on April 19 in Jaipur.
The pacer, who has been recovering since October 2024 at BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE), will add boost to a LSG bowling squad firing nicely on 80 percent cylinders.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/cricket-before-89-vs-mi-karun-nairs-last-ipl-fifty-had-come-2520-days-ago-and-second-on-list-is-travis-head-with-gap-of-2516-days-between-two-fifties-8961683" aria-label="Before 89 vs MI, Karun Nair's last IPL fifty had come 2,520 days ago and next is Travis Head with gap of 2,516 days between two fifties">Before 89 vs MI, Karun Nair's last IPL fifty had come 2,520 days ago and next is Travis Head with gap of 2,516 days between two fifties</a>
Yadav, who became an overnight sensation during last IPL for his pace, made his India debut against Bangladesh in T20Is last year where he injured his back. Since then he's recovering from primarily a back injury and seems good to go now as reported by ESPNCricinfo.
The pacer would have played earlier in the series if he had not hurt his toe around a couple of weeks ago. About 10 days before the match against CSK, LSG coach Justin Langer had informed that Mayank is bowling at 90-95 percent and would be available soon.
LSG had started their season without Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan and Akash Deep apart from Mayank Yadav - the core of their bowling line-up. The Rishabh Pant-led side, however, still did well to win four out of six games.
For LSG, Shardul Thakur has been impressive as a replacement for Mohsin for the IPL 2025 after an injury ended the latter's season. Avesh and Akash have played five and three games, respectively since their comeback and played their role.
The find of the season for LSG has been spinner Digvesh Rathi, who has been very effective with his Sunil Narine-like action, along with his infamous notebook celebration after taking a wicket.
Mayank's return will definitely add more venom to LSG's attack but his fitness will surely be something to look out for.

LSG had started their season without Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan and Akash Deep apart from Mayank Yadav - the core of their bowling line-up. They, however, still did well to win four out of six games. Cricket Sports

In a major boost, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) express pacer Mayank Yadav is expected to join the team on Tuesday (Apr 15) and should be available for the match on Saturday (Apr 19). LSG, who have been pretty good this season with four wins in six games, face Rajasthan Royals on April 19 in Jaipur. The pacer, who has been recovering since October 2024 at BCCI's Centre of Excellence (CoE), will add boost to a LSG bowling squad firing nicely on 80 percent cylinders. Also Read: Before 89 vs MI, Karun Nair's last IPL fifty had come 2,520 days ago and next is Travis Head with gap of 2,516 days between two fifties Yadav, who became an overnight sensation during last IPL for his pace, made his India debut against Bangladesh in T20Is last year where he injured his back. Since then he's recovering from primarily a back injury and seems good to go now as reported by ESPNCricinfo. The pacer would have played earlier in the series if he had not hurt his toe around a couple of weeks ago. About 10 days before the match against CSK, LSG coach Justin Langer had informed that Mayank is bowling at 90-95 percent and would be available soon. LSG had started their season without Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan and Akash Deep apart from Mayank Yadav - the core of their bowling line-up. The Rishabh Pant-led side, however, still did well to win four out of six games. For LSG, Shardul Thakur has been impressive as a replacement for Mohsin for the IPL 2025 after an injury ended the latter's season. Avesh and Akash have played five and three games, respectively since their comeback and played their role. The find of the season for LSG has been spinner Digvesh Rathi, who has been very effective with his Sunil Narine-like action, along with his infamous notebook celebration after taking a wicket. Mayank's return will definitely add more venom to LSG's attack but his fitness will surely be something to look out for.

IPL 2025 | In a boost to LSG, express pacer Mayank Yadav could be available for next match vs RR

22 out of 70 league matches of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season are done and it is proving to be a batter's paradise so far. In 44 innings played, 15 time 200-run mark has been breached - that is nearly one third of the innings. The highest score this season so far has been 286/6 - by SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) against Rajasthan Royals in only the second match of the season.
All 10 teams have played at least three games so far this season with DC scoring the least runs among all - 560 in 55.3 overs at around 10 runs per over but they have played only three matches. The team with most runs is Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) - 1,014 runs in 96.1 overs at 10.55 runs per over in five games.
Also Read - <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-been-a-frustrating-season-so-far-acknowledges-csk-coach-fleming-after-loss-vs-pbks-8942017" aria-label="IPL 2025 | 'Been a frustrating season so far' acknowledges CSK coach Fleming after loss vs PBKS">IPL 2025 | 'Been a frustrating season so far' acknowledges CSK coach Fleming after loss vs PBKS</a>
Overall, 8,125 runs have been scored this season in 848.2 overs across 22 games at an average run rate of 9.57. These runs are almost equally divided in first and second innings - 4,222 in 435 overs at 9.70 runs per over while batting first and 3,903 runs in 413.2 overs at 9.44 runs per over while chasing.
Talking about 200-plus scores, nine matches out of 22 have seen at least one innings crossing the mark. Out of 15 times 200-plus runs have been scored - teams batting first have done it nine times while the chasing teams have done it six times.
The 200-run scores have proved much difficult to chase as well - Out of nine times chasing, only once the 200-plus score has been chased down successfully - by Delhi Capitals against Lucknow Super Giants that too barely.
As for power hitting, already 407 sixes and 688 fours have been hit in 22 matches - a total of 1,095 boundaries in 22 matches - 49 boundaries each match or nearly 25 boundary each innings!
With one boundary (a four or a six) getting hit every five balls in the IPL 2025 - it is actually a nightmare for bowlers this season.

Already 407 sixes and 688 fours have been hit in 22 matches - a total of 1,095 boundaries in 22 matches - 49 boundaries each match or nearly 25 boundary each innings! Cricket Sports

22 out of 70 league matches of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season are done and it is proving to be a batter's paradise so far. In 44 innings played, 15 time 200-run mark has been breached - that is nearly one third of the innings. The highest score this season so far has been 286/6 - by SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH) against Rajasthan Royals in only the second match of the season. All 10 teams have played at least three games so far this season with DC scoring the least runs among all - 560 in 55.3 overs at around 10 runs per over but they have played only three matches. The team with most runs is Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) - 1,014 runs in 96.1 overs at 10.55 runs per over in five games. Also Read - IPL 2025 | 'Been a frustrating season so far' acknowledges CSK coach Fleming after loss vs PBKS Overall, 8,125 runs have been scored this season in 848.2 overs across 22 games at an average run rate of 9.57. These runs are almost equally divided in first and second innings - 4,222 in 435 overs at 9.70 runs per over while batting first and 3,903 runs in 413.2 overs at 9.44 runs per over while chasing. Talking about 200-plus scores, nine matches out of 22 have seen at least one innings crossing the mark. Out of 15 times 200-plus runs have been scored - teams batting first have done it nine times while the chasing teams have done it six times. The 200-run scores have proved much difficult to chase as well - Out of nine times chasing, only once the 200-plus score has been chased down successfully - by Delhi Capitals against Lucknow Super Giants that too barely. As for power hitting, already 407 sixes and 688 fours have been hit in 22 matches - a total of 1,095 boundaries in 22 matches - 49 boundaries each match or nearly 25 boundary each innings! With one boundary (a four or a six) getting hit every five balls in the IPL 2025 - it is actually a nightmare for bowlers this season.

IPL 2025 | 'One boundary every five balls:' This season is turning out to be a nightmare for bowlers already

After guiding his team to a nail-biting four-run win over defending champions <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kolkata-knight-riders">Kolkata Knight Riders</a> (KKR) in the ongoing IPL 2025, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants">Lucknow Super Giants</a> (LSG) captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rishabh-pant">Rishabh Pant</a> assured fans that his back is fine, following an injury scare during the match.
The incident occurred during the 12th over of KKR&rsquo;s innings when Pant was seen receiving treatment from the physios on the field for some discomfort in his back. Despite the concern, he continued to keep wickets for the remainder of the match.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-we-are-not-at-all-worried-about-russells-form-says-kkr-skipper-ajinkya-rahane-after-narrow-loss-to-lsg-8940467">IPL 2025: 'We are not at all worried about Russell&rsquo;s form', says KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane after narrow loss to LSG</a>
Addressing the issue during the post-match presentation, Pant said simply, "It is fine now."
<h2 data-start="563" data-end="657">'Our plan was get the basics right'</h2>
Reflecting on LSG's gritty performance, he added, "When we batted, we didn&rsquo;t realise it would get this close. But after the powerplay, we sensed it. At the first timeout, we spoke to the bowlers, told them to stick to the plans, not overdo things, and just get the basics right."
On slowing down the tempo of the game, Pant said it was a deliberate move: "When the game starts moving at that pace, you have to try something different. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn&rsquo;t."
With this win, LSG have now climbed to the fourth spot on the points table with six points from five matches (three wins, two losses). KKR, on the other hand, dropped to sixth with four points from five outings (two wins, three losses).
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: The incident occurred during 12th over of KKR’s innings when Pant was seen receiving treatment from physios on the field for some discomfort in his back

After guiding his team to a nail-biting four-run win over defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the ongoing IPL 2025, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant assured fans that his back is fine, following an injury scare during the match. The incident occurred during the 12th over of KKR’s innings when Pant was seen receiving treatment from the physios on the field for some discomfort in his back. Despite the concern, he continued to keep wickets for the remainder of the match. Also Read: IPL 2025: 'We are not at all worried about Russell’s form', says KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane after narrow loss to LSG Addressing the issue during the post-match presentation, Pant said simply, "It is fine now." 'Our plan was get the basics right' Reflecting on LSG's gritty performance, he added, "When we batted, we didn’t realise it would get this close. But after the powerplay, we sensed it. At the first timeout, we spoke to the bowlers, told them to stick to the plans, not overdo things, and just get the basics right." On slowing down the tempo of the game, Pant said it was a deliberate move: "When the game starts moving at that pace, you have to try something different. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t." With this win, LSG have now climbed to the fourth spot on the points table with six points from five matches (three wins, two losses). KKR, on the other hand, dropped to sixth with four points from five outings (two wins, three losses). (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: My back is fine now: LSG skipper Rishabh Pant after thrilling win over KKR

KL Rahul has hit the ground running in IPL 2025, making an immediate impact after missing the Delhi Capitals' (DC) first two matches due to paternity leave. In his debut outing this season, Rahul smashed 15 off just 5 deliveries, and followed it up with a match-winning 77 off 51 balls against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday&mdash;signaling a notable shift in intent and approach.
This new attacking mindset is a departure from the cautious <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kl-rahul">KL Rahul</a> fans had seen in previous IPL seasons. Since 2019, he hadn&rsquo;t crossed a strike rate of 138.8 in any edition. His intent dipped notably in 2020 (129.34) and hit a low in 2023 (113.22). Despite piling up 520&ndash;670 runs in every full season (barring 2023 when he played only nine matches), his style was often criticized for lacking aggression.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-he-should-have-retired-in-former-india-cricketer-criticises-ms-dhoni-after-csks-loss-to-delhi-8931443">IPL 2025: 'He should have retired in...', former India cricketer criticises MS Dhoni after CSK's loss to Delhi</a>
Now, at DC and free from captaincy pressure that followed him during his stint with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Rahul seems revitalised.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve worked really hard on my white-ball game over the past year,&rdquo; Rahul shared in a chat with DC mentor <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/kevin-pietersen">Kevin Pietersen</a> on iplt20.com, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. &ldquo;A big shoutout to Abhishek Nayar. We&rsquo;ve spent countless hours working on my white-ball game in Bombay. Somewhere along the way, I&rsquo;ve rediscovered the fun of playing this format.&rdquo;
<h2>'In T20s, it is all about boundaries'&nbsp;</h2>
His confidence was also visible during India&rsquo;s victorious <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/champions-trophy">Champions Trophy</a> campaign earlier this year, where he played a key dual role as wicketkeeper and finisher&mdash;scoring 140 runs in four innings without being dismissed in three, at a strike rate of 97.90, with five fours and five sixes.
In IPL 2025 so far, Rahul has already notched up eight boundaries and four sixes. If this form holds, he&rsquo;s well on course to surpass his 2024 numbers&mdash;45 fours and 19 sixes&mdash;in what was a tumultuous season. His tense on-field discussion with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants">LSG</a> owner Sanjeev Goenka made headlines and ultimately led to his release from the franchise. Goenka later remarked that he sought players with a stronger &ldquo;winning mindset.&rdquo;
Reflecting on his mindset change, Rahul told Pietersen, &ldquo;I think I lost the fun of hitting boundaries and sixes. I kept trying to take games deep, and that stuck in my head. But now, I&rsquo;ve realized that in T20s, it&rsquo;s all about boundaries&mdash;the team that hits more ends up winning.&rdquo;
&ldquo;So I&rsquo;m back to enjoying cricket again&mdash;seeing the ball, being aggressive, putting pressure on the bowler and just enjoying myself,&rdquo; he added.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Now, at Delhi Capitals and free from captaincy pressure that followed him during his stint with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), KL Rahul seems revitalised

KL Rahul has hit the ground running in IPL 2025, making an immediate impact after missing the Delhi Capitals' (DC) first two matches due to paternity leave. In his debut outing this season, Rahul smashed 15 off just 5 deliveries, and followed it up with a match-winning 77 off 51 balls against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Saturday—signaling a notable shift in intent and approach. This new attacking mindset is a departure from the cautious KL Rahul fans had seen in previous IPL seasons. Since 2019, he hadn’t crossed a strike rate of 138.8 in any edition. His intent dipped notably in 2020 (129.34) and hit a low in 2023 (113.22). Despite piling up 520–670 runs in every full season (barring 2023 when he played only nine matches), his style was often criticized for lacking aggression. Also Read: IPL 2025: 'He should have retired in...', former India cricketer criticises MS Dhoni after CSK's loss to Delhi Now, at DC and free from captaincy pressure that followed him during his stint with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), Rahul seems revitalised. “I’ve worked really hard on my white-ball game over the past year,” Rahul shared in a chat with DC mentor Kevin Pietersen on iplt20.com, as quoted by ESPNcricinfo. “A big shoutout to Abhishek Nayar. We’ve spent countless hours working on my white-ball game in Bombay. Somewhere along the way, I’ve rediscovered the fun of playing this format.” 'In T20s, it is all about boundaries' His confidence was also visible during India’s victorious Champions Trophy campaign earlier this year, where he played a key dual role as wicketkeeper and finisher—scoring 140 runs in four innings without being dismissed in three, at a strike rate of 97.90, with five fours and five sixes. In IPL 2025 so far, Rahul has already notched up eight boundaries and four sixes. If this form holds, he’s well on course to surpass his 2024 numbers—45 fours and 19 sixes—in what was a tumultuous season. His tense on-field discussion with LSG owner Sanjeev Goenka made headlines and ultimately led to his release from the franchise. Goenka later remarked that he sought players with a stronger “winning mindset.” Reflecting on his mindset change, Rahul told Pietersen, “I think I lost the fun of hitting boundaries and sixes. I kept trying to take games deep, and that stuck in my head. But now, I’ve realized that in T20s, it’s all about boundaries—the team that hits more ends up winning.” “So I’m back to enjoying cricket again—seeing the ball, being aggressive, putting pressure on the bowler and just enjoying myself,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025 | KL Rahul 2.0: Aggressive, free and thriving at Delhi Capitals

Lucknow Super Giants head coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/justin-langer">Justin Langer</a> sparked laughter at the post-match press conference with a light-hearted moment after their 12-run win over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mumbai-indians">Mumbai Indians</a> in the IPL.
While answering a question about injured pacer Mayank Yadav, Langer was interrupted by a phone ringing on the podium. Noticing "mom" flashing on the screen, he asked the reporter, &ldquo;Who&rsquo;s Maa?&rdquo; With permission, he picked up the call and answered with a grin, &ldquo;Mom, it&rsquo;s 12:08 AM, I&rsquo;m at a press conference,&rdquo; leaving the room in splits.
<h2>Watch the video here:&nbsp;</h2>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
A phone call in the middle of the press conference 📞 Good news on Mayank Yadav's recovery 📰 And the importance of National Cricket Academy (BCCI's COE) 👏 🎥 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LSG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LSG</a> Head Coach, Justin Langer, has a field day at the post-match press conference 😊<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TATAIPL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TATAIPL</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LSGvMI?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LSGvMI</a> <a href="https://t.co/JAolaa5GTo">pic.twitter.com/JAolaa5GTo</a>
&mdash; IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) <a href="https://twitter.com/IPL/status/1908233760870461869?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Langer was clearly in good spirits after LSG bounced back from their heavy loss to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/punjab-kings">Punjab Kings</a>, successfully defending a total of 204 and restricting MI to 191/5 &mdash; marking their second win in four matches.
When asked about previous comments from team mentor <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/zaheer-khan">Zaheer Khan</a>, who had blamed unsuitable pitch conditions for their earlier defeat, Langer dismissed any pitch-related concerns. &ldquo;The less we talk about the pitches, the better,&rdquo; he said.
&ldquo;To be completely honest, both pitches here have been excellent over the past two years. There was a bit of emotion after the last game, but I&rsquo;ve really enjoyed playing here as head coach.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added, &ldquo;It&rsquo;s nice to have some variation in the way pitches behave. Again, the less we talk about pitches, the better.&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: While answering a question about injured pacer Mayank Yadav, Langer noticed the phone, which was ringing with 'maa' flashing on the screen

Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer sparked laughter at the post-match press conference with a light-hearted moment after their 12-run win over Mumbai Indians in the IPL. While answering a question about injured pacer Mayank Yadav, Langer was interrupted by a phone ringing on the podium. Noticing "mom" flashing on the screen, he asked the reporter, “Who’s Maa?” With permission, he picked up the call and answered with a grin, “Mom, it’s 12:08 AM, I’m at a press conference,” leaving the room in splits. Watch the video here: A phone call in the middle of the press conference 📞 Good news on Mayank Yadav's recovery 📰 And the importance of National Cricket Academy (BCCI's COE) 👏 🎥 #LSG Head Coach, Justin Langer, has a field day at the post-match press conference 😊#TATAIPL | #LSGvMI pic.twitter.com/JAolaa5GTo — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 4, 2025 Langer was clearly in good spirits after LSG bounced back from their heavy loss to Punjab Kings, successfully defending a total of 204 and restricting MI to 191/5 — marking their second win in four matches. When asked about previous comments from team mentor Zaheer Khan, who had blamed unsuitable pitch conditions for their earlier defeat, Langer dismissed any pitch-related concerns. “The less we talk about the pitches, the better,” he said. “To be completely honest, both pitches here have been excellent over the past two years. There was a bit of emotion after the last game, but I’ve really enjoyed playing here as head coach.” He added, “It’s nice to have some variation in the way pitches behave. Again, the less we talk about pitches, the better.” (With inputs from agencies)

‘Who's maa?’ – LSG head coach Langer delivers the real bouncer during post-match- WATCH

Lucknow Super Giants captain <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/rishabh-pant">Rishabh Pant</a> has been fined $14,000 for maintaining a slow over-rate during their 12-run win over <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mumbai-indians">Mumbai Indians</a> in an IPL 2025 clash on Friday (April 4).
According to IPL regulations, teams must complete their 20 overs within 90 minutes. LSG fell behind schedule after the 19th over, forcing them to keep only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle for the final over &mdash; a penalty for exceeding the time limit.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-tactical-call-mi-coach-mahela-jayawardene-explains-tilaks-retire-out-move-8928149">IPL 2025 | &lsquo;Tactical call&rsquo;: MI coach Mahela Jayawardene explains Tilak&rsquo;s retire out move</a>
&ldquo;This being the team&rsquo;s first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, Rishabh Pant has been fined ₹12 lakh,&rdquo; the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/board-of-control-for-cricket-in-india">BCCI</a> said in a release.
<h2>Trouble for Digvesh Rathi</h2>
Meanwhile, LSG&rsquo;s rising star Digvesh Rathi has once again found himself in trouble for his on-field behaviour. The young spinner has been fined 50% of his match fees for a second successive breach of the Level 1 Code of Conduct under Article 2.5 &mdash; which deals with inappropriate or excessive celebration after a dismissal.
Rathi, who was previously penalised for an animated celebration against Punjab Kings, repeated a toned-down version of his 'notebook tick' gesture after dismissing MI&rsquo;s Naman Dheer. Despite being more restrained, the act still drew sanction from the match referee.
&ldquo;This marks his second Level 1 offence of the season, adding two more demerit points to the one he received during the April 1 match against Punjab Kings,&rdquo; the BCCI release added.
Come IPL mega auction, 25-year-old Rathi was picked up for INR 30 lakh ($35,000) from the uncapped players' pool and has been giving rich dividends on the investment made so far. Before the IPL, Rathi played just two T20s at the domestic level in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and had three wickets to his name.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Digvesh Rathi has been fined 50% of his match fees for a second successive breach of the Level 1 Code of Conduct under Article 2.5

Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant has been fined $14,000 for maintaining a slow over-rate during their 12-run win over Mumbai Indians in an IPL 2025 clash on Friday (April 4). According to IPL regulations, teams must complete their 20 overs within 90 minutes. LSG fell behind schedule after the 19th over, forcing them to keep only four fielders outside the 30-yard circle for the final over — a penalty for exceeding the time limit. Also Read: IPL 2025 | ‘Tactical call’: MI coach Mahela Jayawardene explains Tilak’s retire out move “This being the team’s first offence of the season under Article 2.22 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which relates to minimum over-rate offences, Rishabh Pant has been fined ₹12 lakh,” the BCCI said in a release. Trouble for Digvesh Rathi Meanwhile, LSG’s rising star Digvesh Rathi has once again found himself in trouble for his on-field behaviour. The young spinner has been fined 50% of his match fees for a second successive breach of the Level 1 Code of Conduct under Article 2.5 — which deals with inappropriate or excessive celebration after a dismissal. Rathi, who was previously penalised for an animated celebration against Punjab Kings, repeated a toned-down version of his 'notebook tick' gesture after dismissing MI’s Naman Dheer. Despite being more restrained, the act still drew sanction from the match referee. “This marks his second Level 1 offence of the season, adding two more demerit points to the one he received during the April 1 match against Punjab Kings,” the BCCI release added. Come IPL mega auction, 25-year-old Rathi was picked up for INR 30 lakh ($35,000) from the uncapped players' pool and has been giving rich dividends on the investment made so far. Before the IPL, Rathi played just two T20s at the domestic level in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and had three wickets to his name. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: After Hardik and Riyan, Pant becomes third captain to be fined for slow over-rate; Digvesh penalised again!

Mumbai Indians head coach <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mahela-jayawardene">Mahela Jayawardene</a> described the decision to retire out <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/tilak-varma">Tilak Varma</a> during their clash against Lucknow Super Giants as a 'tactical' move, aimed at injecting fresh energy into the chase as the required run rate began to spiral out of reach.
Chasing a target of 204, MI's innings was a rollercoaster, featuring bursts of dominance before Lucknow&rsquo;s disciplined bowling brought the game to a nail-biting finish. With 29 runs needed off the final 12 balls, Tilak Varma was expected to deliver some late fireworks. However, after facing five dot balls in Shardul Thakur&rsquo;s penultimate over, the MI think tank decided to retire him out. Tilak walked back having scored 25 off 23 balls with just two boundaries, making way for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/mitchell-santner">Mitchell Santner</a> in a bold move that drew mixed reactions from the cricketing world.
At the post-match press conference, Jayawardene explained the reasoning behind the unusual call. &ldquo;Tilak did well early on when we lost that third wicket and built a solid partnership with Surya. He was trying to accelerate but couldn&rsquo;t get going. Ideally, having spent time in the middle, he should have found that big hit. But with the asking rate climbing rapidly, I felt we needed someone fresh to take charge. It wasn&rsquo;t an easy call, but it was purely tactical,&rdquo; he said.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-ms-dhoni-likely-to-captain-csk-as-ruturaj-gaikwad-remains-doubtful-for-delhi-capitals-clash-8927941">IPL 2025: MS Dhoni likely to captain CSK as Ruturaj Gaikwad remains doubtful for Delhi Capitals clash-Reports</a>
In the tense final moments, skipper <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/hardik-pandya">Hardik Pandya</a> took it upon himself to drag MI closer to the target. He smashed a powerful six over deep extra cover, reducing the target to 14 runs from four balls. Refusing to take a single to rotate strike, Hardik stood his ground &mdash; but couldn&rsquo;t quite script the comeback as MI fell 12 runs short. Lucknow Super Giants celebrated a hard-fought victory, their bowlers having held their nerve in the death overs.
<h2>'Hardik used his experience brilliantly'</h2>
While Hardik couldn&rsquo;t deliver with the bat in the chase, he had already left a massive imprint on the game with the ball. He claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket and etched his name in IPL history as the first captain to achieve that feat. His 5/36 spell included the prized wickets of Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant, and David Miller. He returned to bowl the final over of the LSG innings and cleaned up tailender Akash Deep to cap off a sensational performance.
Jayawardene praised Hardik&rsquo;s tactical acumen with the ball. &ldquo;He used his experience brilliantly. He realised the pitch demanded pace off and shorter lengths &mdash; something we probably should&rsquo;ve done earlier during the powerplay. But he adapted quickly, pulled things back, and gave us a solid shot at chasing the target.&rdquo;
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: MI's innings was a rollercoaster, featuring bursts of dominance before Lucknow’s disciplined bowling brought the game to a nail-biting finish

Mumbai Indians head coach Mahela Jayawardene described the decision to retire out Tilak Varma during their clash against Lucknow Super Giants as a 'tactical' move, aimed at injecting fresh energy into the chase as the required run rate began to spiral out of reach. Chasing a target of 204, MI's innings was a rollercoaster, featuring bursts of dominance before Lucknow’s disciplined bowling brought the game to a nail-biting finish. With 29 runs needed off the final 12 balls, Tilak Varma was expected to deliver some late fireworks. However, after facing five dot balls in Shardul Thakur’s penultimate over, the MI think tank decided to retire him out. Tilak walked back having scored 25 off 23 balls with just two boundaries, making way for Mitchell Santner in a bold move that drew mixed reactions from the cricketing world. At the post-match press conference, Jayawardene explained the reasoning behind the unusual call. “Tilak did well early on when we lost that third wicket and built a solid partnership with Surya. He was trying to accelerate but couldn’t get going. Ideally, having spent time in the middle, he should have found that big hit. But with the asking rate climbing rapidly, I felt we needed someone fresh to take charge. It wasn’t an easy call, but it was purely tactical,” he said. Also Read: IPL 2025: MS Dhoni likely to captain CSK as Ruturaj Gaikwad remains doubtful for Delhi Capitals clash-Reports In the tense final moments, skipper Hardik Pandya took it upon himself to drag MI closer to the target. He smashed a powerful six over deep extra cover, reducing the target to 14 runs from four balls. Refusing to take a single to rotate strike, Hardik stood his ground — but couldn’t quite script the comeback as MI fell 12 runs short. Lucknow Super Giants celebrated a hard-fought victory, their bowlers having held their nerve in the death overs. 'Hardik used his experience brilliantly' While Hardik couldn’t deliver with the bat in the chase, he had already left a massive imprint on the game with the ball. He claimed his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket and etched his name in IPL history as the first captain to achieve that feat. His 5/36 spell included the prized wickets of Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant, and David Miller. He returned to bowl the final over of the LSG innings and cleaned up tailender Akash Deep to cap off a sensational performance. Jayawardene praised Hardik’s tactical acumen with the ball. “He used his experience brilliantly. He realised the pitch demanded pace off and shorter lengths — something we probably should’ve done earlier during the powerplay. But he adapted quickly, pulled things back, and gave us a solid shot at chasing the target.” (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025 | ‘Tactical call’: MI coach Mahela Jayawardene explains Tilak’s retire out move

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) had nothing going on for them in their match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) as they lost their first home game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season by eight wickets and 22 balls remaining. The two wickets they took while defending a modest 172 belonged to Digvesh Rathi - a rookie spinner playing only his third IPL game ever.
<h2>Who is Digvesh Rathi?</h2>
Rathi caught the attention during the Delhi Premier League last year before the mega auction while playing under his LSG teammate Ayush Badoni. He picked 14 wickets in the tournament and was subsequently recommended to the franchise as an option to look into the auction.
Also Read: <a class="gh-archive-page-post-title-link" href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-rohit-after-worst-ipl-start-since-2020-says-his-immediate-goal-is-8916892" aria-label="IPL 2025 | Rohit, after worst IPL start since 2020, says his immediate goal is...">IPL 2025 | Rohit, after worst IPL start since 2020, says his immediate goal is...</a>
Come IPL mega auction, 25-year-old Rathi was picked up for INR 30 lakh ($35,000) from the uncapped players' pool and has been giving rich dividends on the investment made so far.
The leggie has picked up five wickets in three games already and that too at an economy 8.41 which is good enough given how the runs have been scored in this season.
Before the IPL, Rathi played just two T20s at the domestic level in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and had three wickets to his name.
<h2>BCCI punishes Rathi for breach of Code of Conduct</h2>
Rathi, however, got a bit carried away with his first wicket of the night when he dismissed his Delhi teammate Priyansh Arya. The spinner went to him and pretend writing his name in notebook during the celebration - a move Virat Kohli had done against West Indies pacer Kesrick Williams in a T20I in 2019. Have a look at the video below:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DigveshRathi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DigveshRathi</a> provides the breakthrough as <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PriyanshArya?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PriyanshArya</a> heads back! P.S: Don't miss the celebration at the end! 👀✍🏻 Watch LIVE action of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/LSGvPBKS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#LSGvPBKS</a> ➡ <a href="https://t.co/GLxHRDQajv">https://t.co/GLxHRDQajv</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IPLOnJiostar?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IPLOnJiostar</a> | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi &amp; JioHotstar! | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/IndianPossibleLeague?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#IndianPossibleLeague</a> <a href="https://t.co/TAhHDtXX8n">pic.twitter.com/TAhHDtXX8n</a>
&mdash; Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarSportsIndia/status/1907104870999728486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 1, 2025</a></blockquote>

<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

"Digvesh Singh, Bowler, Lucknow Super Giants has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees and has also accumulated One Demerit Point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team&rsquo;s match against Punjab Kings at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Tuesday. Digvesh Singh admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 and accepted the Match Referee&rsquo;s sanction," read a release by IPL on the matter.&nbsp;

In IPL mega auction, 25-year-old Delhi-based Rathi was picked up for INR 30 lakh ($35,000) from the uncapped players' pool by Lucknow Super Giants. Cricket Sports

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) had nothing going on for them in their match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) as they lost their first home game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season by eight wickets and 22 balls remaining. The two wickets they took while defending a modest 172 belonged to Digvesh Rathi - a rookie spinner playing only his third IPL game ever. Who is Digvesh Rathi? Rathi caught the attention during the Delhi Premier League last year before the mega auction while playing under his LSG teammate Ayush Badoni. He picked 14 wickets in the tournament and was subsequently recommended to the franchise as an option to look into the auction. Also Read: IPL 2025 | Rohit, after worst IPL start since 2020, says his immediate goal is... Come IPL mega auction, 25-year-old Rathi was picked up for INR 30 lakh ($35,000) from the uncapped players' pool and has been giving rich dividends on the investment made so far. The leggie has picked up five wickets in three games already and that too at an economy 8.41 which is good enough given how the runs have been scored in this season. Before the IPL, Rathi played just two T20s at the domestic level in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) and had three wickets to his name. BCCI punishes Rathi for breach of Code of Conduct Rathi, however, got a bit carried away with his first wicket of the night when he dismissed his Delhi teammate Priyansh Arya. The spinner went to him and pretend writing his name in notebook during the celebration - a move Virat Kohli had done against West Indies pacer Kesrick Williams in a T20I in 2019. Have a look at the video below: #DigveshRathi provides the breakthrough as #PriyanshArya heads back! P.S: Don't miss the celebration at the end! 👀✍🏻 Watch LIVE action of #LSGvPBKS ➡ https://t.co/GLxHRDQajv#IPLOnJiostar | LIVE NOW on Star Sports 1, Star Sports 1 Hindi & JioHotstar! | #IndianPossibleLeague pic.twitter.com/TAhHDtXX8n — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) April 1, 2025 "Digvesh Singh, Bowler, Lucknow Super Giants has been fined 25 per cent of his match fees and has also accumulated One Demerit Point for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his team’s match against Punjab Kings at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on Tuesday. Digvesh Singh admitted to the Level 1 offence under Article 2.5 and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction," read a release by IPL on the matter.

IPL 2025 | Uncapped spinner Digvesh Rathi, only LSG bowler to take wickets vs PBKS, punished by BCCI - Read Why

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Zaheer Khan has been left disappointed by pitch dished out at their home ground by the curator. The disappointment came after LSG lost their first game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season by eight wickets and 22 balls left against Punjab Kings. Zaheer, however, hoped that they'll be able to figure it out.
"What was a little disappointing for me here&hellip;" Zaheer said at press conference after the loss on Tuesday (Apr 1). "Considering it's a home game and in IPL you've seen how teams have looked at taking a little bit of home advantage, from that point of view you've seen the curator is not really thinking that it's a home game. I think maybe it looked like, you know, it was Punjab curator out here.
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This is not the first time home advantage and pitch curator not helping has been talked about out loud this season. Earlier, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane had also voiced same concerns regarding the pitch at Eden Garden in Kolkata.
LSG, however, have more to worry about than getting the pitch right and first of those worries is skipper Rishabh Pant's form. The wicketkeeper-batter, bought for INR 27 crore (&gt;$3 million approx) has not been able to get going in the tournament so far.
In the three matches played, Pant has scores of 0, 15 and 2 - and this poor batting has been a big factor in LSG's two losses in three games.
Their batting has been relying on Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran so far. In the match against PBKS, Marsh got out on a duck and Pooran scored 44 off 30 balls - around 30 runs less than what he had scored in the last two games. Pant said after the match that's how much they were short while setting the target.
But it is not only Pant who has been out form, Aiden Markram at the top has scored 15, 1 and 28 runs in three games; David Miller hasn't been able to finish well, managing 27 not out, 13 not out and 19 in three games; Ayush Badoni has managed 4, 6 and 41 runs in those games.
So it is more about batting than pitch for LSG at the moment and they need to figure it out soon.

This is not the first time home advantage and pitch curator not helping has been talked about out loud this season. Earlier, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane had also voiced same concerns. Cricket Sports

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Zaheer Khan has been left disappointed by pitch dished out at their home ground by the curator. The disappointment came after LSG lost their first game of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season by eight wickets and 22 balls left against Punjab Kings. Zaheer, however, hoped that they'll be able to figure it out. "What was a little disappointing for me here…" Zaheer said at press conference after the loss on Tuesday (Apr 1). "Considering it's a home game and in IPL you've seen how teams have looked at taking a little bit of home advantage, from that point of view you've seen the curator is not really thinking that it's a home game. I think maybe it looked like, you know, it was Punjab curator out here. Also Read: IPL 2025 | SRH vs HCA: 3,900 complimentary passes issue settled, franchise to stay put This is not the first time home advantage and pitch curator not helping has been talked about out loud this season. Earlier, KKR skipper Ajinkya Rahane had also voiced same concerns regarding the pitch at Eden Garden in Kolkata. LSG, however, have more to worry about than getting the pitch right and first of those worries is skipper Rishabh Pant's form. The wicketkeeper-batter, bought for INR 27 crore (>$3 million approx) has not been able to get going in the tournament so far. In the three matches played, Pant has scores of 0, 15 and 2 - and this poor batting has been a big factor in LSG's two losses in three games. Their batting has been relying on Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran so far. In the match against PBKS, Marsh got out on a duck and Pooran scored 44 off 30 balls - around 30 runs less than what he had scored in the last two games. Pant said after the match that's how much they were short while setting the target. But it is not only Pant who has been out form, Aiden Markram at the top has scored 15, 1 and 28 runs in three games; David Miller hasn't been able to finish well, managing 27 not out, 13 not out and 19 in three games; Ayush Badoni has managed 4, 6 and 41 runs in those games. So it is more about batting than pitch for LSG at the moment and they need to figure it out soon.

IPL 2025 | Mentor Zaheer calls out curator after LSG lose home game but fault lies in their batting

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/shardul-thakur">Shardul Thakur</a> has spoken out in favor of creating pitches that give bowlers a 'fair and square chance' rather than favoring batters, a trend he feels has been prevalent in the Indian Premier League.&nbsp;
Speaking ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/lucknow-super-giants">Lucknow Super Giants</a>' (LSG) first home game of the season against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/tags/punjab-kings">Punjab Kings</a>, Thakur emphasised the need for balanced pitches that don&rsquo;t favor one side. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not just about what I want, it&rsquo;s what bowlers as a whole want,&rdquo; Thakur said. &ldquo;A lot of bowlers may not be outspoken or have the chance to speak up about pitch conditions, but all we&rsquo;re asking for is a level playing field.&rdquo;
Thakur explained that bowlers are simply seeking conditions where the game feels balanced, and batters aren't just coming in and dominating with big scores. "We just want a fair chance to bowl and get wickets," he added. "The pitch should not be tilted heavily in favor of the batters, giving them the advantage to smash us."
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<h2>'Preparation is key'</h2>
In IPL 2025, high-scoring games have been common, with six matches surpassing 200 runs already. In one of the games, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 286/6. While Thakur expressed some reservations about the Impact Player rule, he believes that the real issue lies with the pitches.
"We&rsquo;ve seen the impact of the new rule, where teams can play an extra batter. The rule brings entertainment, but the big scores aren&rsquo;t just because of that change," he noted. "The pitches also play a big part. We, as bowlers, just want a fair chance to get batsmen out.&rdquo;
Thakur, who joined LSG as a replacement player, has quickly become the team's poster boy and their leading wicket-taker with six wickets from two matches, maintaining an economy rate of 8.83. He attributes his success to his preparation and understanding of his game. 'Preparation is key', Thakur said. "It&rsquo;s all about knowing how to bowl depending on the pitch conditions, the match situation, and which batter you're facing."
Despite a series of injuries in the team, with Mohsin Khan and Mayank Yadav sidelined, Thakur insists the team must focus on what is available rather than what is missing. "We have the bowlers available to us, and we have to focus on that," he said.
"In the IPL, all 25 players in the squad are equal. Past performances may earn players more opportunities, but when you step onto the field, it&rsquo;s about your confidence, your preparation, and how you perform on that particular day," he signed off.
(With inputs from agencies)

Cricket, Sports: Thakur explained that bowlers are simply seeking conditions where the game feels balanced, and batters aren't just coming in and hitting big scores

Shardul Thakur has spoken out in favor of creating pitches that give bowlers a 'fair and square chance' rather than favoring batters, a trend he feels has been prevalent in the Indian Premier League. Speaking ahead of Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) first home game of the season against Punjab Kings, Thakur emphasised the need for balanced pitches that don’t favor one side. “It’s not just about what I want, it’s what bowlers as a whole want,” Thakur said. “A lot of bowlers may not be outspoken or have the chance to speak up about pitch conditions, but all we’re asking for is a level playing field.” Thakur explained that bowlers are simply seeking conditions where the game feels balanced, and batters aren't just coming in and dominating with big scores. "We just want a fair chance to bowl and get wickets," he added. "The pitch should not be tilted heavily in favor of the batters, giving them the advantage to smash us." Also Read: IPL 2025: Mamba mentality? PBKS pacer Arshdeep says 'key is to improve by 1-1.5% after every game' 'Preparation is key' In IPL 2025, high-scoring games have been common, with six matches surpassing 200 runs already. In one of the games, Sunrisers Hyderabad posted 286/6. While Thakur expressed some reservations about the Impact Player rule, he believes that the real issue lies with the pitches. "We’ve seen the impact of the new rule, where teams can play an extra batter. The rule brings entertainment, but the big scores aren’t just because of that change," he noted. "The pitches also play a big part. We, as bowlers, just want a fair chance to get batsmen out.” Thakur, who joined LSG as a replacement player, has quickly become the team's poster boy and their leading wicket-taker with six wickets from two matches, maintaining an economy rate of 8.83. He attributes his success to his preparation and understanding of his game. 'Preparation is key', Thakur said. "It’s all about knowing how to bowl depending on the pitch conditions, the match situation, and which batter you're facing." Despite a series of injuries in the team, with Mohsin Khan and Mayank Yadav sidelined, Thakur insists the team must focus on what is available rather than what is missing. "We have the bowlers available to us, and we have to focus on that," he said. "In the IPL, all 25 players in the squad are equal. Past performances may earn players more opportunities, but when you step onto the field, it’s about your confidence, your preparation, and how you perform on that particular day," he signed off. (With inputs from agencies)

IPL 2025: LSG's pacer has his say on high-scoring pitches: 'All bowlers want is a...'

A new-look Punjab Kings is set to play their second Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) who have blown hot and cold in two matches played so far. While the match is being played in Lucknow, it is advantage PBKS given their form, better bowling attack and of course the confidence they exuded in the first match.
<h2>IPL 2025: PBKS vs LSG Match Prediction Today</h2>
Lucknow's batting has revolved around Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran in the two matches they have played. Their bowling has become a bit better after addition of Avesh Khan in the last match and rookie Prince Yadav finding his groove as well.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/ipl-2025-hes-not-the-captain-former-eng-skipper-on-whether-mi-will-drop-rohit-amid-poor-form-8912039">IPL 2025: 'He's not the captain,' former ENG skipper on whether MI will drop Rohit amid poor form</a>
The cause of concern is skipper Rishabh Pant's batting - who has not looked great in the two match and has scored only 15 and 0 in the two matches.
PBKS, on the other hand, posted 244 in their first match thanks to skipper Shreyas Iyer's brilliant 97. The skipper was ably supported by Priyansh Arya at the top and Shashank Singh in the slog overs. In middle overs, they have Glenn Maxwell and Azamatullah Omarzai as well.
As for bowling, Arshdeep Singh has been phenomenal over the years for them and he will find it helpful at the grassy Lucknow pitch. Yuzvendra Chahal is their lead spinner with Vijaykumar Vyshak playing his part to perfection as well.
The team winning the toss should bowl first given the dew expectation and the average winning score should be around 185-190 run mark.
<h2>PBKS vs LSG Match Today: Pitch Report</h2>
Lucknow is one of the few grounds in IPL which supports bowlers. While there could be dew in the second innings, the team who wins the toss would definitely like to bowl first and then chase the score helped by the dew.
<h2>PBKS vs LSG Match Today: Predicted Playing XI</h2>
PBKS: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer, Glenn Maxwell, Azamatullah Omarzai, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vijaykumar Vyshak
LSG: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant, Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur,&nbsp; Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Avesh Khan&nbsp;

IPL 2025 LSG vs PBKS Match Prediction: The team winning the toss should bowl first given the dew expectation and the average winning score should be around 185-190 run mark. Cricket Sports

A new-look Punjab Kings is set to play their second Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) who have blown hot and cold in two matches played so far. While the match is being played in Lucknow, it is advantage PBKS given their form, better bowling attack and of course the confidence they exuded in the first match. IPL 2025: PBKS vs LSG Match Prediction Today Lucknow's batting has revolved around Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran in the two matches they have played. Their bowling has become a bit better after addition of Avesh Khan in the last match and rookie Prince Yadav finding his groove as well. Also Read: IPL 2025: 'He's not the captain,' former ENG skipper on whether MI will drop Rohit amid poor form The cause of concern is skipper Rishabh Pant's batting - who has not looked great in the two match and has scored only 15 and 0 in the two matches. PBKS, on the other hand, posted 244 in their first match thanks to skipper Shreyas Iyer's brilliant 97. The skipper was ably supported by Priyansh Arya at the top and Shashank Singh in the slog overs. In middle overs, they have Glenn Maxwell and Azamatullah Omarzai as well. As for bowling, Arshdeep Singh has been phenomenal over the years for them and he will find it helpful at the grassy Lucknow pitch. Yuzvendra Chahal is their lead spinner with Vijaykumar Vyshak playing his part to perfection as well. The team winning the toss should bowl first given the dew expectation and the average winning score should be around 185-190 run mark. PBKS vs LSG Match Today: Pitch Report Lucknow is one of the few grounds in IPL which supports bowlers. While there could be dew in the second innings, the team who wins the toss would definitely like to bowl first and then chase the score helped by the dew. PBKS vs LSG Match Today: Predicted Playing XI PBKS: Prabhsimran Singh, Priyansh Arya, Shreyas Iyer, Glenn Maxwell, Azamatullah Omarzai, Marcus Stoinis, Shashank Singh, Marco Jansen, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal, Vijaykumar Vyshak LSG: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant, Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Prince Yadav, Avesh Khan

IPL 2025: LSG vs PBKS Match Prediction, Playing XI, Pitch Report