Sunrisers Hyderabad will be desperate to get back to what they know best when they host Lucknow Super Giants in their first home match of IPL 2026. And let’s face it, the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium is no longer just batsmen-friendly, it’s borderline chaos for bowlers. Over the past few seasons, even 220 hasn’t felt safe here, and teams have left knowing they’re in for quite a shootout.
Just go back to last year, a ridiculous 246 by Punjab Kings was still not enough as SRH chased them down with eight wickets in hand. Such land has become. So yes, Sunday’s first game could very easily turn into another run-fest. While the SRH batsmen will be licking their lips, the LSG bowlers are staring at a serious test with almost no margin for error.
SRH have not had the best start to this seasonfalls sharply to RCBbut they bounced back like a proper unit with a 65-run win over KKR at the Eden Gardens. On the other hand, LSG are still looking for their first win after a shaky start against Delhi Capitals.
SHOULD RISHABH PANT CONTINUE OPENING?
This is where things get interesting for LSG. Their batting looked completely out of DC. To be bowled out for 141 in 19 overs is not something you associate with a line-up that is piling on. Apart from Mitchell Marsh and Abdul Samad, there was not much resistance.
And then there is the question of Rishabh Pant. Should he really open it? Tried it twice for LSG and it didn’t work either time. Meanwhile, Aiden Markram looked much more settled up top. There’s a strong case for going back to a more natural opening combo of Marsh and Markram. Is it the right call for Pant to open the batting for LSG? (Photo: PTI)
Nicholas Pooran’s role also needs a rethink. Batting him at No.5 didn’t quite click, especially with Ayush Badoni pushing up. It felt like LSG rethought their batting order and it cost them. Against a side like SRH, at a ground like Hyderabad, they cannot afford another confused outing.
CAN SRH BOWLERS PROGRESS IN HYDERABAD?
SRH’s bowling has already had both extremes this season. They were dismantled by RCB but then turned the script beautifully against KKR and bundled them out for 161 in just 16 overs.
Jaydev Unadkat and Eshan Malinga bounced back well after a rough first game, while Harsh Dubey impressed when he got rid of Finn Allen. Shivang Kumar also had a solid debut. Can the SRH bowlers repeat the elegance they showed against KKR? (Photo: PTI)
But Hyderabad is a different animal altogether. He does not forgive the ballers. And thanks to LSG’s batting firepower, SRH’s bowlers could once again find themselves under the pump. Here it will depend on the implementation, not only on the plans.
WILL MAYANK COME BACK AGAINST SRH?
Short answer, unlikely.
Mayank Yadav missed the last game and though he is fit, he might have to wait a little longer. The pace unit of Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav and Mohammed Shami did a decent enough job against DC and LSG probably won’t rush into the changes.
One possible improvement could be the introduction of Digvesh Rathi. He was in the mix last game as an Impact Sub but wasn’t used, Shahbaz Ahmed getting the nod instead. The move didn’t quite pay off and LSG could look at Rathi as a way to bolster their bowling options.
All things considered, this game has all the ingredients. Big hitters, questionable bowling attacks and a place that doesn’t believe in modest totals. If things go the way Hyderabad games usually go, we’re in for another high-scoring thriller.
HYDERABAD: RANGE AND CONDITIONS
The Hyderabad ground has traditionally favored the batsmen with an average first innings score of around 167 in 83 IPL matches since 2008. In the last three seasons, this figure has skyrocketed to 194 from 19 matches, which only underlines how much the batting has improved. The bowlers are likely to endure a tough outing and runs are expected to be on the menu.
There may be heavy rain around 3:00 PM in Hyderabad which could lead to a delayed start. Cloud cover is expected to fluctuate throughout the day with sunny spells in between. Temperatures will hover around 36C, while humidity is likely to remain in the low 30s.
SRH vs LSG: HEAD-TO-HEAD
Sunrisers Hyderabad have not enjoyed the best of records against Lucknow Super Giants, who have won four of the six head-to-head matches between the two sides. In Hyderabad, LSG also won two out of three matches. However, in their last encounter, Sunrisers defeated Super Giants by six wickets in Lucknow.
SRH vs LSG: TEAM NEWS
Pat Cummins has returned to Australia for the latest scan on his injured back, according to ESPNcricinfo. He is now expected to rejoin the Sunrisers Hyderabad camp on April 17, subject to clearance from Cricket Australia.
SRH Predicted XI: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (c) (wk), Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Salil Arora, Harsh Dubey, Shivang Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, David Payne
Impact Sub: Eshan Malinga
LSG Predicted XI: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c) (week), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohsin Khan, Mohammed Shami, Anrich Nortje, Prince Yadav
Impact Sub: Shahbaz Ahmed
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Issued by:
Debodinna Chakraborty
Published on:
05 Apr 2026 07:34 IST
