As the IPL 2026 season reaches its business end, Match 50 brings a high-stakes encounter to the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. On this Thursday, the struggling Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are hosting the high-flying Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). For LSG, sitting at the bottom of the table, this is a do-or-die battle to keep their mathematical playoff hopes alive. Conversely, the Rajat Patidar-led RCB side is looking to solidify its top-two standing. However, the biggest talking point at the toss wasn’t just the strategy, but the significant absences in the LSG camp.
Why Mohsin Khan and Josh Inglis are not playing against RCB in today’s match?
The Lucknow Super Giants were dealt a massive blow just before the start of the game, losing two of their primary overseas and domestic assets to injuries. During the toss, LSG captain Rishabh Pant confirmed that both Josh Inglis and Mohsin Khan are sidelined due to fitness concerns.
According to team reports, Inglis, who recently joined the squad to bolster the top order, is nursing a minor injury, revealed to be a hand injury sustained during a recent net practice session. In his place, the young all-rounder Arshin Kulkarni has been drafted into the XI to partner Mitchell Marsh at the top. On the bowling front, the absence of Mohsin Khan is arguably more damaging. Mohsin, who has been a standout performer for LSG this season with his ability to swing the ball and provide breakthroughs at the death, is out with a niggle.
Rishabh Pant addressed the changes during the toss, stating:
“We have a few injuries in our team. So Arshin (Kulkarni) comes in for Inglis, he’s a little injured. Mohsin is also a little injured, and Shahbaz (Ahmed) comes in for Sid (Manimaran Siddharth). The only thing is moving with more clarity. We know we are the top players, but at the same time, when clarity is missing, it can happen in cricket… Having a stable environment in T20 cricket is essential, but when changes are needed, you should be able to change because doing the same thing might not give you the same outcome.”
Pant also noted that the Lucknow pitch appears to be a much better surface than in previous games, estimating a par score of around 180-190.
Playing XI and impact substitutes of both the teams
Both teams have made tactical shifts to adapt to the Lucknow conditions, with RCB opting to bowl first after winning the toss to exploit any potential dew later in the evening.
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Mitchell Marsh, Arshin Kulkarni, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Akshat Raghuwanshi, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav.
Lucknow Super Giants Impact Subs: Mayank Yadav, Mukul Choudhary, Abdul Samad, Manimaran Siddharth, Avesh Khan.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Playing XI): Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (w), Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar, Josh Hazlewood.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru Impact Subs: Jordan Cox, Tim David, Mangesh Yadav, Vicky Ostwal, Venkatesh Iyer.
