Lucknow Super Giants will play their first IPL 2025 game against DC with a depleted side. Even before the tournament starts, they are already four men down. Pacers Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan and Mayank Yadav are unavailable for the side’s opening game. Meanwhile, their batting order looks pretty unsettled as well, with uncertainty over where captain Rishabh Pant will bat at.
LSG predicted playing XI vs DC
| Position | Player | Role |
| 1. | Rishabh Pant (WK) | Batter |
| 2. | Mitchell Marsh  | Batter |
| 3. | Nicholas Pooran | Batter |
| 4. | Aiden Markram | Batter |
| 5. | Ayush Badoni | Batter |
| 6. | David Miller | Batter |
| 7. | Shardul Thakur | All-rounder |
| 8. | Arshin Kulkarni | All-rounder |
| 9. | Rajvardhan Hangrekar | Bowler |
| 10. | Ravi Bishnoi | Bowler |
| 11. | M Siddharth | Bowler |
No experienced pacers
LSG will enter the contest against DC without the services of their experienced Indian pacers. Akash Deep is still not completely fit. Mayank Yadav’s recovery has hit a roadblock as he has now injured his toe. Avesh Khan is still awaiting clearance from the NCA. Mohsin Khan has been ruled out of IPL 2025 and has been replaced by Shardul Thakur. In the absence of these four, LSG will now have to turn to Rajvardhan Hangkrekar, Arshin Kulkarni and M Siddharth along with Thakur. Additionally, Marsh plays as a pure batter and hence LSG won’t be able to avail his services with the ball either.
Where will Pant bat?
LSG captain Rishabh Pant will most likely open the innings. Although it is a role he is unfamiliar with, the southpaw finds no other spot in the playing XI. The likes of Arshin Kulkarni or Matthew Breetzke cannot be considered for the opener role because of their inexperience. Pant’s partner, most likely Marsh, is also not a regular opener. However, LSG’s middle-order looks sorted, boasting of the likes of Pooran, Markram, Badoni and Miller.
