IPL 2025: DC Playing XI vs LSG- Match 40

The Delhi Capitals (DC) faced their second defeat in the previous three encounters of the IPL 2025 after making a successful start in the campaign with four victories. Even in the last game, it was Mitchell Starc’s brilliance that pulled them out of the defeat against the Rajasthan Royals.

Against the Gujarat Titans, Delhi posted a decent score on the board in the first innings. But they failed to keep pressure on the Titans’ batting as Jos Buttler’s unbeaten 97-run knock carried them over the winning margin.

DC, who was not up to the mark in the fielding department for the entire inning, looks to bounce back against the Lucknow Super Giants at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow on April 22, 2025.

IPL 2025: DC Playing XI vs LSG- Match 40

Openers- Abhishek Porel, Karun Nair

In the previous game against the Titans, Delhi decided to drop the struggling opening batter, Jake Fraser-McGurk, who had failed to contribute to the side as he was expected to do inside the powerplay. With Faf du Plessis, the vice-captain of the DC franchise, still nursing the injury, the management took a different decision.

Also Read: Yograj Singh Drops Shocking Statement On Abhishek Sharma’s Selection

They went with Abhishek Porel and Karun Nair as the two openers. The former made a solid start in the innings with three boundaries and one six for his 18 runs before finding Mohammed Siraj at mid-on for a mistimed shot.

On the other hand, Karun Nair looked to continue the same impression since his return to the game. In 18 balls, the right-handed batter drilled 31 runs at a strike rate of 172.22, shouldering on two fours and as many sixes, but none of them were able to convert it into a big score.

Middle order- KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel (c), Ashutosh Sharma, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira/Faf du Plessis

KL Rahul, understanding the surface would slow down in the second half of the first innings, looked to be in aggressive mode from the first ball. He whacked the bowlers into the stand one and collected four boundaries for 28 runs in 14 balls.

DC captain Axar, who is the local lad of Ahmedabad, made a decent start to the innings, but he also failed to keep going with the brutal shots. Tristan Stubbs did a really good job for 31 runs in 21 balls, while Ashutosh Sharma’s 37 runs in just 19 balls carried them over the 200-run mark.

Donovan Ferreira got a chance to get into the lower order of the team but returned with one run in three balls. Most of the Delhi batters got starts in the first innings, but no one was able to convert them into a big score at the end.

Bowlers- Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma/T Natarajan, Mukhesh Kumar (Impact)

Mukhesh Kumar has been partially decent with the new ball. Despite bowling a few dot balls at the batter, he would offer a freebie to release the pressure. In the last game, he finished with figures of 1/40 in four overs. Meanwhile, Axar bowled just two overs in the defense.

Also Read: “Rishabh Pant Should Learn From Virat Kohli”- Manoj Tiwary Slams LSG Captain

Kuldeep Yadav continued his purple patch in the event with 1/30 in four overs, but Buttler timed Nigam on most occasions. The pressure is on Mohit Sharma, and the DC management needs to find a way to bring T Natarajan in his place.

DC Probable Playing XI vs LSG- IPL 2025, Match 40

Abhishek Porel, Karun Nair, KL Rahul (wk), Axar Patel (c), Ashutosh Sharma, Tristan Stubbs, Donovan Ferreira/Faf du Plessis, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma/T Natarajan.

Impact Sub: Mukhesh Kumar.