IPL 2026: Rajasthan Royals win toss, opt to bowl against Lucknow Super Giants
Jaipur, May 19
Rajasthan Royals won the toss and decided to field against the Lucknow Super Giants in the 64th match of the ongoing Indian Premier League 2026 season on Tuesday evening.
The crucial contest between Rajasthan and Lucknow is being held at the Sawai ManSingh Stadium. In place of regular skipper Riyan Parag, Yashasvi Jaiswal has been named as the stand-in captain for the Royals.
During the toss, stand-in captain Jaiswal confirmed that Riyan Parag was left out of the playing XI for the match. He also shared an update on all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, stating that the senior player is missing the Lucknow fixture as he continues to recover from a niggle.
"We will bowl first. It looks like a good wicket, and there could be some dew later on; that's what we'll see. It means a lot to me, I'm proud to lead the Rajasthan Royals. He has a hamstring injury; hopefully, he'll be fine. Three changes for us. We're all speaking to everyone; the mindset and the attitude are important, and that's what we want to bring to this game. Just smile and enjoy the game. That's what I want to say. Jaddu bhai is recovering; he has some niggle and should be fine soon," Jaiswal said.
After losing the toss, LSG skipper Rishabh Pant said he was confident about his side's prospects, while also confirming key changes in the playing XI. He also confirmed multiple changes, including the absence of senior batter Aiden Markram due to a personal matter.
"Pretty confident, we know this is a good wicket to bat on. Happy to either bat or bowl first. We've a lot to play for, we take great pride in playing for the owners and the fans. Aiden Markarm has gone home for a personal matter; Mohammed Shami is out, and Mohsin Khan has replaced him. Ayush Badoni replaces Aiden Markram," Pant said.
Teams:
Rajasthan Royals (Playing XI): Yashasvi Jaiswal(c), Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Dhruv Jurel(w), Donovan Ferreira, Shubham Dubey, Dasun Shanaka, Jofra Archer, Sushant Mishra, Sandeep Sharma, Brijesh Sharma, Yash Raj Punja.
Rajasthan Royals Impact Players: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yudhvir Singh Charak, Aman Perala, Ravi Bishnoi, Riyan Parag
Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Mitchell Marsh, Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, Akash Maharaj Singh, Prince Yadav.
Lucknow Super Giants Impact Players: Mukul Choudhary, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Himmat Singh, Arshin Kulkarni.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Interesting to see both teams experiment with their XIs. LSG missing Aiden Markram is a big gap, but Ayush Badoni has been in good form. And Mohsin Khan for Shami? That's a decent swap. Dew factor might tilt it RR's way. 🔄
Honest question: Why drop your regular captain and not even have him as impact player? Parag must be carrying something serious. Also, three changes in a crucial game? Risky. But Jaiswal's attitude of 'just smile and enjoy' is refreshing. Hope the nerves don't get to him.
Sawai ManSingh Stadium always produces a good contest. RR's bowling looks a bit thin without Jadeja, but Jofra Archer is back! That's the real news. Pant's confidence is understandable—LSG have a strong batting lineup. Should be a close one! 💥
Aiden Markram going home due to personal matter - hope everything is okay with him and his family. Great to see the players putting real life first. Also, nice to see Yashasvi getting leadership experience even if it's just one match. Future India captain material maybe? 😊
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