IPL 2026: No Digvesh Rathi for LSG as Rishabh Pant opts to bowl first vs PBKS – check full playing XI | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant won the toss and opted to bowl first vs Punjab Kings at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, Mullanpur, in New Chandigarhon on Sunday.In a big change for LSG, Manimaran Siddharth came in and Digvesh Rathi missed out from the playing XI. While Punjab Kings made no changes to their side.“We are going to bowl first. Coming here, we want them to set a total for us. They’ve been one of the best team in the tournament, but at the same time, it gives us that freedom that we can play more freely with them. Generally, I feel, playing for 220 runs is better than playing for 200 sometimes. (Manimaran) Siddharth comes in and (Digvesh) Rathi misses out. (And that elbow is fine?) Much better,” Pant said at the toss.While PBKS skipper Iyer said, ” I feel that it’s a great challenge for us and going forward in the tournament, at least we’ll have a fair idea about how to go in the first innings, since we haven’t batted first so far. So it’s a great challenge for the boys as well and as a collective team effort, it would be great challenge. (Any areas to improve?) Yes, absolutely, a comprehensive win. We’ve played so many matches in the tournament, but still there is a moment that we haven’t fulfilled yet. So it’s important that this game would be the one where we go in all together, see to it that we put our best foot forward and have that comprehensive win as I mentioned. We’re going with the same team.” Teams:Lucknow Super Giants (Playing XI): Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant(w/c), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav, Manimaran Siddharth, Mohsin KhanPunjab Kings (Playing XI): Prabhsimran Singh(w), Priyansh Arya, Cooper Connolly, Shreyas Iyer(c), Shashank Singh, Nehal Wadhera, Marcus Stoinis, Marco Jansen, Xavier Bartlett, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal Impact substitutes for both the teams:Lucknow Super Giants Impact subs: Abdul Samad, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Matthew Breetzke, Mayank Yadav, Himmat SinghPunjab Kings Impact subs: Vijaykumar Vyshak, Harpreet Brar, Suryansh Shedge, Yash Thakur, Vishnu Vinod