RR openers will face a big test.
Rajasthan Royals (RR) are heavily reliant on their openers, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, in the batting department. While other batters have chipped in patches, these two have done the heavy lifting by providing brisk starts to ease pressure on the middle order. For Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), that’s where the game will be; if they can dismiss these two early, RR will be under pressure.
The recent couple of matches have shown that pattern. Against SRH, RR’s top and middle order were blown away by two rookies, and they were never in the chase. Then, against KKR, the Riyan Parag-led side got a bright start by the openers in the powerplay, but they ended up with a below-par total when they departed.
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LSG have been the second-best bowling side in the powerplay, notably after their opponents, the Rajasthan Royals. They have 11 wickets at the second-best average of 26 and the best economy rate of 7.94 in the first six overs. LSG have taken the most balls (4.90) before conceding a boundary and have the highest dot balls (54.16%).
For them, Mohammed Shami and Prince Yadav have done the heavy lifting with the new ball. Prince has five scalps at 13.60 runs apiece and an economy rate of 7.56 in nine overs. Meanwhile, Shami has dismissed four batters at an average of 23.75 and conceded just 6.79 runs per over.
Notably, both have been more effective against LHBs, mostly because of their abilities to take the ball away. Prince has two wickets at an average of 10.50 and an economy rate of 6.63 against southpaws. On the other hand, Shami has two wickets at 20.50 runs apiece.
RR have both LHB openers, and the two new-ball pacers can trouble them. For instance, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been dismissed thrice in 26 balls on deliveries moving away from him. If required, LSG pacers can shorten their lengths and shift their lines outside the off-stump line to force him to play towards the leg side against the swing.
Meanwhile, Jaiswal has had issues with deliveries coming into him early on. On inswinging or seaming in balls, he has an average of 21.66 and a strike rate of 138.29 in the first six overs since 2025. Jaiswal has been dismissed three times and plays around 44.68% false shots.
Pacers have generated ample movement across venues in IPL 2026, but few have matched Lucknow in swing with the new ball. On average, pacers at Ekana Stadium have generated around 1.12° of swing in the first six overs, the third-highest among all venues in IPL 2026. Additionally, there has been 0.50° seam movement, the joint fourth-highest.
Among all bowlers with at least 12 powerplay balls, Prince Yadav has generated the second-most swing (1.58°) on average this season. Meanwhile, Mohammed Shami stands fifth with an average swing of around 1.46° in the initial six overs. Both have clearly hit the right areas and found significant assistance in favourable conditions.
In terms of seam movement, Shami is joint-second alongside Trent Boult, generating an average deviation of 0.64°. For the record, Prince has produced 0.52° of deviation off the surface in the powerplay. Both bowlers, therefore, are well equipped to trouble RR batters at their home venue.
Once LSG get past RR openers, the job for other bowlers will become easier. Their spin attack is vulnerable, especially after Digvesh Rathi’s poor show, and Shami and Prince must get those early wickets. In a way, both teams are top-heavy – RR in batting and LSG in bowling – and the side that wins the powerplay battle could well decide the contest.
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