Pant To Drop Avesh Khan And Markram? LSG's Probable XI vs MI

LSG have already lost two matches this season. [Source: @LucknowIPL/X]

One of the five teams to have won just a solitary Indian Premier League 2025 match as of now, Lucknow Super Giants wouldn’t want to become the second team to lose three. Slated to host Mumbai Indians on Friday, LSG would want to further strengthen their 5-1 head-to-head record against them.

While Lucknow have won both their home matches against Mumbai, another loss at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium will outnumber their wins at the home ground. One of the teams to be dissatisfied with their home pitch, Super Giants would be hoping to sort out that aspect as well.

With a lot going around, only a return to winning ways can divert attention from the formation of an inconsequential narrative between owner Sanjiv Goenka and captain Rishabh Pant.

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LSG’s Playing XI In Last Match vs PBKS

Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Abdul Samad, Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Digvesh Rathi.

Expected Changes In LSG’s XI

Aiden Markram Could Be Dropped

Opening batter Aiden Markram’s 44 runs at an average and strike rate of 14.66 and 125.71 respectively across three innings has it in it to force Lucknow to hand a debut to Matthew Breetzke. Second-highest run-scorer for Durban’s Super Giants in SA20 history, Breetzke has fared much better than Markram in the last 12 months.

[T20 stats in the last 12 months]

Among specialist batters who have batted between Nos. 1-7 in this period, Markram’s average and strike rate are among the lowest. LSG’s remaining batting lineup is expected to remain the same. That said, middle-order batters namely Rishabh Pant, Ayush Badoni and David Miller need to contribute more.

Striking at 245, highest this season thus far, Abdul Samad hasn’t done much wrong but could still be benched to accommodate an additional all-rounder in Shahbaz Ahmed. While Samad could be used as an Impact Player, Super Giants, as one of the teams with an economy rate of 10+, ought to have at least six bowling options unlike their previous outing.

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Akash Deep Replaces Avesh Khan

With pacer Akash Deep 100% fit to return to competitive cricket for the first time since Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024/25, he is highly likely to replace Avesh Khan in the Playing XI. A major reason behind Lucknow’s early woes is how each one of Shardul Thakur, Avesh and Ravi Bishnoi has leaked more than 10 runs per over at this stage.

Since Thakur can contribute with the bat and the team management wouldn’t want to drop one of their retained players in Bishnoi after three poor outings, Avesh appears to be the frontrunner in terms of getting benched against MI.

LSG’s Probable Playing XI vs MI

Matthew Breetzke, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Shahbaz Ahmed, Shardul Thakur, Akash Deep, Ravi Bishnoi, Digvesh Rathi

Impact Players: Abdul Samad, Avesh Khan, Manimaran Sidharth, Prince Yadav, Himmat Singh

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