With their IPL 2025 hopes hanging in the balance, Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant has made many changes for the SRH clash. Temporary replacement William O’Rourke makes his first IPL appearance, while Ravi Bishnoi and Akash Deep both returning. David Miller was dropped from the XI.
LSG Playing XI: 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Mitchell Marsh, 3 Nicholas Pooran, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Akash Deep, 8 Ravi Bishnoi, 9 Digvesh Rathi, 10 Avesh Khan, 11 Will O’Rourke
O’Rourke makes LSG debut, Miller dropped for SRH clash
Lucknow Super Giants lost Mayank Yadav to injury and roped in Kiwi pacer William O’Rourke as a replacement. The 23-year-old has risen the ranks in New Zealand and is a tall hit-the-deck bowler. In 5 T20Is, he has picked up 5 wickets. In overall T20s, he has 37 wickets at an average of 26.05.
He was impressive in the Champions Trophy. He picked up 6 wickets in 5 games, helping New Zealand reach the finals. With LSG’s top 3 set in stone, it was David Miller who made way for O’Rourke. Miller has struggled for form this season and now had to drop to the bench.
Rishabh Pant will hope that O’Rourke can aid their bowling woes. LSG’s pace attack has struggled this season, with Shardul Thakur, Akash Deep and Mayank Yadav all struggling. Avesh Khan has done well in patches but has lacked support. The Kiwi pace’s addition adds a new dynamic to the LSG attack.
Akash Deep also returns alongside Ravi Bishnoi. Both bowlers were dropped previously, but after a break, have returned to the XI. Rishabh Pant will hope that his bowling fires on all cylinders. LSG need 3 wins to qualify for the playoffs, and a defeat on Monday will see them knocked out.
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