The upcoming fixture in the seventeenth edition of the IPL 2024 (Indian Premier League) will witness Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) locking horns with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the iconic Ekana International Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, on Friday, April 19. LSG had just gotten into the groove with three consecutive wins. They had also won 13 out of 13 games in a row while defending scores of 160 or more. They had won two games at the Ekana Stadium handily.
Although LSG are still placed in the top half of the points table, a couple of losses have threatened to derail their campaign and they’ll be eager to get back on track knowing well that sides below them can catch up quickly if there are any more missteps. After a couple of losses, CSK regained traction thanks to their two back-to-back victories and are sitting pretty in the third position.
LSG vs CSK previous matches
The KL Rahul-led side is currently fifth on the points table. In six games played so far, LSG has managed to win three games. In their last game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the Lucknow-based franchise witnessed multiple issues with their batting lineup as they couldn’t post a big total on the batting-friendly pitch. Their bowlers also looked clueless in the middle as KKR chased down the total with ease.
On the other hand, CSK are currently placed third in the IPL points table. In six games played so far the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side has managed to win four games. The Chennai-based franchise are coming off two back-to-back victories. They registered a convincing victory over KKR by seven wickets. In their last game against Mumbai Indians (MI), CSK managed to put up a match-winning total of 206 runs and won the game by 20 runs.
LSG vs CSK Head to Head
| Matches Played | 03 |
| Lucknow Super Giants Won | 01 |
| Chennai Super Kings won | 01 |
| No Result | 01 |
LSG vs CSK Pitch conditions
The Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow is known for its pitch which tends to be on the slower side. As a result, lower-scoring matches have been on the cards on most occasions in the past. Hence, this feature is anticipated to remain similar when the venue hosts its fourth IPL 2024 fixture on Friday. The team that wins the toss will likely opt to bat first.
The match will be played on a red-soil pitch, which could mean more pace and bounce for fast bowlers and not as much help for the spinners. It is expected to be a hot day in Lucknow, and players will hope evening temperatures will drop significantly from an expected maximum of 41 degrees Celsius.
In the three matches played here in this edition so far, 200 hasn’t been crossed even once. LSG managed to defend 199 and 163 but failed in their defence of 167 against DC who reached the target comfortably. Pacers have had more success here in this IPL, having picked up 27 wickets at an average of 24.11 compared to 11 for spinners at 31.09.
LSG vs CSK Big Picture
LSG had just gotten into the groove with three consecutive wins. They had also won 13 out of 13 games in a row while defending scores of 160 or more. They had won two games at the Ekana Stadium handily.
All of this came to an end when the then-bottom-placed Delhi Capitals humbled them at home. That was followed by a big defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders at Eden Gardens. Both games exposed their batting troubles: Quinton de Kock has fallen early, captain KL Rahul has been dismissed after good starts, and Marcus Stoinis at No. 4 has been inconsistent. Plus, they haven’t yet worked out their No. 3. Their bowling unit, which until then had done a neat job of defending even middling totals, has since blown hot and cold.
Their batting average in the powerplay this season is just 25.66, the lowest among all teams. The top-order failure has meant that Nicholas Pooran, their best batter this season, has been expected to do the heavy lifting in the middle order.
It’s not just the powerplay; scoring at the back end has also been an issue. They’ve scored at 10.04 in the end overs, the lowest among all teams in IPL 2024. Pooran, who has mostly come in at No. 5, has accounted for 12 of the 15 sixes LSG have hit all season.
The good news is that they’ll be back to playing on what is expected to be a batting- and pace-friendly red-soil pitch, the one LSG used in their first match against Punjab Kings when they had defended 199. But they’re coming up against a confident Chennai Super Kings side who have gotten back to winning ways with back-to-back wins after two defeats. CSK’s fast bowlers have been among their biggest strengths this season, and their batters have contributed in high-scoring matches, so they’ll be pleased with the conditions too.
How LSG use Ravi Bishnoi and Krunal Pandya in the middle overs on this pitch against the in-form Shivam Dube will be key. Will they keep spinners from bowling at him, just like Mumbai Indians did (which did not matter in the end) Or will they unleash Bishnoi, who dismissed Dube at Chepauk last season after being taken for two sixes in the same over
LSG vs CSK Team News and Impact Player
Lucknow Super Giants
Devdutt Padikkal made way for Deepak Hooda at No. 3 against KKR. LSG also handed a debut to Shamar Joseph – who endured a tough outing – in place of Naveen-ul-Haq. Mohsin Khan, who returned from a shoulder injury, also played against KKR and finished as their best bowler. If Mayank Yadav returns, he’s likely to slot right into the line-up, possibly as an Impact sub for Quinton de Kock.
Will CSK look to bring in Moeen Ali for Daryl Mitchell, who’s not made a big impact with the bat so far Last season, Moeen finished as the Player-of-the-Match against LSG in Chennai and also bowled a miserly spell with two wickets in the rained-out encounter in Lucknow.
In the spotlight – Deepak Hooda and Daryl Mitchell
Vital stats that matters
- CSK bowlers have conceded just 7.03 an over in the middle overs, the best among all teams in this phase in IPL 2024.
- Matheesha Pathirana has dismissed Pooran three times in three T20 meetings. The batter has struck at just 62.5 against the Sri Lankan quick.
- CSK have been one of the best fielding sides this season, with a catch success rate of 79.41% that puts them just behind Mumbai Indians. They’ve only dropped seven out of 34 chances.
LSG vs CSK Probable Playing XIs
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)
Quinton de Kock, KL Rahul (C/Wk.), Deepak Hooda, Ayush Badoni, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, Krunal Pandya, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, Yash Thakur
Impact player : Naveen Ul Haq
Chennai Super Kings (CSK)
Rachin Ravindra, Ajinkya Rahane, Ruturaj Gaikwad (C), Sameer Rizvi, Shivam Dube, Moeen Ali, Ravindra Jadeja, MS Dhoni (Wk.), Deepak Chahar, Shardul Thakur, Tushar Deshpande
Impact Player – Matheesha Pathirana
Best Player of the Match.
Probable Best Batter
With 242 runs in six matches, left-hand all-rounder Shivam Dube could be the best batter of match 34 of IPL 2024. He has been in excellent form and is scoring consistently. His form in the upcoming clash is crucial for the visitors as he can take the game away add those crucial runs and play a match-defining knock.
Probable Best Bowler
Mayank Yadav‘s pace bowling can be crucial for LSG, as he can provide crucial breakthroughs during matches. After missing the last two games due to an injury, the young pacer will be up and running for the upcoming clash against the defending champions. In three games in which the pacer featured, he has picked up six wickets so far. Besides, two spells out of them proved match-winning spells.
LSG vs CSK Match Prediction
Scenario 1
Lucknow Super Giants win the toss and opt to bat
Powerplay score: 50-60
First innings score: 170-180
Chennai Super Kings win the match
Scenario 2
Chennai Super Kings win the toss and opt to bat
Powerplay score: 60-70
First innings score: 180-190
Chennai Super Kings win the match