IPL 2025, RR vs LSG: Decoding key player battles
What's the story
Match 36 of the 2025 Indian Premier League season will witness Rajasthan Royals (RR) take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur on Saturday.
Both sides are coming off defeats and will be looking to clinch a much-needed win.
RR suffered a setback in their previous match against Delhi Capitals while LSG fell short against Chennai Super Kings by five wickets.
Here we decode the anticipated player battles.
#1
Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Shardul Thakur
Having racked up three fifties in his last four outings, Yashasvi Jaiswal would be high on confidence.
He can give Shardul Thakur, LSG's man with the golden arm, a tough time in powerplay overs.
As per ESPNcricinfo, Jaiswal has been striking at 139.32 in powerplay in IPL 2025, having been dismissed thrice across seven innings.
The pacer has taken five wickets in this phase (ER: 10.53).
#2
Nitish Rana vs Digvesh Singh Rathi
Mystery spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi has become a household name with his economical bowling and tricky celebrations this season.
Nitish Rana, who is fresh from a fifty, can look to put the spinner under pressure.
Notably, Rana has a strike rate of 193.02 versus spinners this season.
Rathi has dismissed nine batters so far with his economy being an impressive 7.42.
#3
Nicholas Pooran vs Wanindu Hasaranga
The in-form Nicholas Pooran is pivotal to LSG's middle-over plans and in that phase, he will have to negotiate with Wanindu Hasaranga's bowling.
Notably, Pooran is leading the Orange Cap race with 357 runs at a strike rate of 208.77 while Hasaranga has managed just seven wickets (ER: 9.77).
However, the leg-spinner has dismissed Pooran twice across seven T20 meetings.
The batter strikes at 155 in this battle.
#4
Mitchell Marsh vs Jofra Archer
Another LSG dasher who has scored runs for fun this season is Mitchell Marsh, who owns a strike rate of 171.51 in IPL 2025.
As Marsh opens the batting, his face-off with Jofra Archer can be enticing.
The RR pacer will be steaming in hard and look to unsettle the Marsh with his thunderbolts.
Notably, five of Archer's seven wickets this season have come in the powerplay.