IPL 2026: Gill opts to bowl as Gujarat Titans, LSG field unchanged XIs in Lucknow
Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bowl against Lucknow Super Giants in their Indian Premier League 2026 match at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Sunday. Both teams have gone in with unchanged playing XIs.
Gill said consistency remains a key focus for his side after registering their first win of the season in a last-ball thriller against Delhi Capitals.
“Consistency is one thing we always talk about. It’s the most important thing. In the first two matches, the kind of situations we were in, it went down to the wire. Two points in the previous game gives us a bit ofHope to play better cricket,” he said.
Rishabh Pant, leading Lucknow Super Giants, said he was unfazed about batting first. “Batting or bowling first won’t matter,” he said, adding that his side has shown strong character in bouncing back with two successive wins after their opening loss.
“For us it’s amazing, every win is important. If you win like that, it shows the character of the team.
“It’s a great boost coming in on the back of a win, but this is a new match. Wickets and conditions may be different. We spoke of intent on the field, it was great to see us put our bodies on the line [in Kolkata].”According to broadcasters Ian Bishop and Michael Clarke, the surface appears dry with minimal grass cover but is hard underneath, suggesting good carry for batting. While some turn could come into play later due to the heat, the pitch is expected to be favourable for strokeplay.
Playing XIs
Lucknow Super Giants: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav, Digvesh RaImpact bench: M Siddharth, George Linde, Shahbaz Ahmad, Mayank Yadav, Matthew Breetzke
Gujarat Titans: B Sai Sudharsan, Shubman Gill (capt), Jos Buttler (wk), Washington Sundar, Glenn Phillips, Rahul Tewatia, Rashid Khan, Kagiso Rabada, Ashok Sharma, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Siraj