IPL 2026, RR vs LSG 64th Match Match Preview | ACTPnews

Big picture – One playoff spot, five contenders2>

Having played only twice in the last fortnight, RR’s challenge is two-fold. First, they need to find a way to win in Jaipur, having lost each of their three games there this season. Secondly, they will be playing back-to-back games in brutal conditions, with temperatures expected to soar to 43-degrees Celsius amid excessive heat warnings.

If that wasn’t enough, there are slight concerns over the fitness of Ravindra Jadeja, who missed the previous game with a niggle. Then, there are the diminishing returns of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who only has one score of substance in his last five innings. He has been dismissed inside the powerplay in seven out of his 12 innings in the tournament so far.

LSG, meanwhile, have won two of their last three games and look close to being at their dangerous best, despite being knocked out of contention. Their top order has finally clicked, and their already competitive bowling attack has taken their returns up a couple of notches. Slowly, some positives are emerging for LSG from this phase – like Mitchell Marsh’s form and Prince Yadav’s potential breakout – which they will be keen to lock down, and carry into 2027.

Form guide

Rajasthan Royals LLLWL (Last five, most-recent first)
Lucknow Super Giants WLWLL

Key question

In the spotlight – Rishabh Pant and Shimron Hetmyer

Rishabh Pant’s returns this season have been modest by any measure: 251 runs from 11 innings, with just one half-century and a strike rate of 138.67. In the previous game, despite being padded up, he did not walk out in LSG’s chase. Later, he spoke about differing views within the team management, even though he was ready to bat. The last time Pant endured a similarly underwhelming campaign, he responded by pushing himself up to No. 3 in the final league game and signed off with a century, albeit in a losing cause. Could he be tempted into doing something similar this time?

Shimron Hetmyer has been part of a revolving door of middle-order batters for RR. A top score of 22 in seven innings led to him being dropped halfway through the competition, but injuries and team dynamics – with none of the other middle-order batters faring any better – have brought him back into the mix. Against GT last week, he managed just 6. But with Jadeja potentially missing out, Hetmyer would want to capitalise on an unlikely chance, should he get one.

Team news

Ravindra Jadeja is doubtful to participate, as he continues to be monitored for an elbow and knee issue that forced him to miss the previous match. There is also a cloud over Riyan Parag’s fitness due to a hamstring niggle. This, however, didn’t cause him much discomfort in the previous game as he made a half-century. Ravi Singh, who made his debut against Delhi Capitals, is also believed to be injured.

Rajasthan Royals: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, 3 Dhruv Jurel, 4 Riyan Parag (capt), 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Donovan Ferreira, 7 Shubham Dubey, 8 Dasun Shanaka, 9 Jofra Archer, 10 Brijesh Sharma/Sushant Mishra, 11 Tushar Deshpande, 12 Yash Raj Punja

With Aiden Markram back home for personal reasons and unavailable for LSG’s last two games, their overseas options are looking thin. The only other reserve overseas batter, Matthew Breetzke, has also left. That means LSG could realistically go into the final two matches with just three overseas players in their XII, unless they bring back George Linde. But with Shahbaz Ahmed doing well in his limited chances, the bigger question is who makes way for him?

Lucknow Super Giants: 1 Mitchell Marsh, 2 Josh Inglis, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 5 Abdul Samad, 6 Akshat Raghuwanshi, 7 Mukul Choudhary, 8 Shahbaz Ahmed, 9 Mohammed Shami, 10 Mayank Yadav, 11 Akash Singh, 12 Prince Yadav

Stats and trivia

LSG’s powerplay economy rate of 8.5 continues to top the charts this season. Their 22 wickets are the third-most in this phase, after RCB (27) and GT (26).
The nine different options LSG have used for Nos. 4-7 are the joint-most by any team this season along with Mumbai Indians’.
Since IPL 2025, RR have won just one out of their eight games at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur.
RR have been a story of contrasts with their batting this season. While their powerplay run rate of 11.8 is the best, they’re the second-slowest scoring team in the death overs at 10.2 an over.

Pitch and conditions

The match will be played on pitch number five, where 228 played 229 in the RR vs SRH clash. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dazzled with his 37-ball 103, but RR eventually lost with nine balls to spare. Dew played a big part in the second innings. Like that game, Tuesday’s will also be a night match, with oppressive heat and humidity likely to be a massive factor once again.

Shashank Kishore is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo

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