IPL 2026 returns with a big Sunday double-header as Chennai Super Kings take on Lucknow Super Giants in Chennai, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru face Mumbai Indians in Raipur later in the day. Both matches could play an important role in shaping the playoff race.
CSK look to continue winning momentum against LSG
Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings will host Lucknow Super Giants in the 53rd match of IPL 2026 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. CSK head into the game after an important win over Delhi Capitals and currently sit sixth on the points table with five victories from 10 matches.
Another win could take Chennai much closer to the playoff spots, especially with the points table becoming tighter after every game. The side will once again rely on experienced players like MS Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja and Ruturaj Gaikwad to deliver in a pressure situation.
Lucknow Super Giants, meanwhile, finally returned to winning ways after beating Royal Challengers Bengaluru in their previous outing. LSG had endured a difficult run before that victory and currently remain at the bottom of the table with just three wins from 10 matches.
Although their qualification chances are very slim, another defeat could almost end their playoff hopes completely.
LSG hold slight edge over CSK in head-to-head battle
The rivalry between Chennai Super Kings and Lucknow Super Giants has remained fairly balanced since LSG entered the IPL in 2022.
Out of the six matches played between the two sides so far, Lucknow Super Giants have won three matches, while Chennai Super Kings have won two. One match ended without a result.
Their last meeting came on April 14, 2025, where CSK managed to come out on top.
RCB and MI set for high-pressure clash in Raipur
The second match of the day will see defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru take on Mumbai Indians at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur.
This will be RCB’s first match at their new temporary home venue this season. Rajat Patidar’s side enters the contest after suffering a narrow nine-run defeat against Lucknow Super Giants. RCB have now lost two matches in a row but still remain third on the points table because of their strong net run rate.
However, another defeat could make the playoff race more complicated for the defending champions.
Mumbai Indians, on the other hand, finally gained some confidence after defeating Lucknow Super Giants in a high-scoring contest. MI currently sit ninth on the table with only six points from 10 matches.
For Hardik Pandya’s side, this match is close to a must-win situation. Another loss could make Mumbai Indians the first team to get eliminated from IPL 2026.
Virat Kohli and Suryakumar Yadav headline blockbuster clash
The Raipur crowd is expected to witness a star-studded contest with some of the biggest names in Indian cricket set to feature.
Virat Kohli will once again lead RCB’s batting charge, while Mumbai Indians are likely to be boosted by the return of Suryakumar Yadav after he briefly left the squad following the birth of his daughter.
With playoff pressure building and both teams desperate for points, the evening clash promises to be one of the biggest games of the season.
Chennai Super Kings squad
Sanju Samson(wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad(c), Urvil Patel, Kartik Sharma, Dewald Brevis, Jamie Overton, Akeal Hosein, Noor Ahmad, Anshul Kamboj, Mukesh Choudhary, Gurjapneet Singh, MS Dhoni, Matt Henry, Sarfaraz Khan, Matthew Short, Shreyas Gopal, Shivam Dube, Rahul Chahar, Spencer Johnson, Akash Madhwal, Aman Khan, Zakary Foulkes, Prashant Veer
Lucknow Super Giants squad
Mitchell Marsh, Arshin Kulkarni, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant(wk/c), Akshat Raghuwanshi, Himmat Singh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, George Linde, Josh Inglis, Anrich Nortje, Manimaran Siddharth, Matthew Breetzke, Mohsin Khan, Arjun Tendulkar, Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, Akash Maharaj Singh, Mukul Choudhary, Naman Tiwari
Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad
Jacob Bethell, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar(c), Jitesh Sharma(wk), Tim David, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar, Josh Hazlewood, Jordan Cox, Mangesh Yadav, Vicky Ostwal, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Duffy, Swapnil Singh, Philip Salt, Nuwan Thushara, Vihaan Malhotra, Abhinandan Singh, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal
Mumbai Indians squad
Ryan Rickelton(wk), Rohit Sharma, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Naman Dhir, Will Jacks, Raj Bawa, Corbin Bosch, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, AM Ghazanfar, Raghu Sharma, Mayank Rawat, Robin Minz, Shardul Thakur, Trent Boult, Ashwani Kumar, Quinton de Kock, Keshav Maharaj, Sherfane Rutherford, Mayank Markande, Danish Malewar, Mohammed Salahuddin Izhar, Hardik Pandya, Krish Bhagat
The post IPL 2026 Double Header: Ruturaj Gaikwad’s CSK take on Rishabh Pant’s LSG, Rajat Patidar’s RCB face Suryakumar Yadav’s MI appeared first on Cricket Country.
