Avesh Khan Returns to LSG XI for IPL 2025 Clash Against SRH
Lucknow Super Giants received a significant boost for their second match of the IPL 2025 season, as pacer Avesh Khan has been brought back into the playing 11 for their away game against the Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Captain Rishabh Pant confirmed Khan’s return during the toss, where he won and elected to bowl first, replacing spinner Shahbaz Ahmed.
Key Highlights
- Avesh Khan's Return: Khan, who had been sidelined due to an injury, rejoins the team, strengthening their bowling attack.
- Strategic Decision: LSG's decision to bowl first was met with enthusiastic support from the crowd, eager to see how the team would handle the formidable batting lineup of SRH.
- Captain's Confidence: Rishabh Pant expressed confidence in his team's ability to chase down any target, emphasizing the importance of early wickets for SRH.
Team Lineups
Lucknow Super Giants Playing 11: Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (C, WK), Abdul Samad, David Miller, Ayush Badoni, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi, and Prince Yadav.
Impact Players (LSG): Shahbaz Ahmed, Manimaran Siddharth, Mitchell Marsh, Himmat Singh, Akash Maharaj Singh.
Sunrisers Hyderabad Playing 11: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Heinrich Klaasen (WK), Aniket Verma, Abhinav Manohar, Pat Cummins (C), Simarjeet Singh, Harshal Patel, and Mohammed Shami.
Impact Subs (SRH): Sachin Baby, Jaydev Unadkat, Zeeshan Ansari, Adam Zampa, and Wiaan Mulder.
Captain Comments
Captain Pat Cummins, seemingly unfazed by LSG’s decision to bowl first, stated, “It doesn’s change the way our boys go about it, we always try to be positive. It’s great fun.” He also highlighted the team's focus on maintaining a strong bowling unit and aiming for a high-scoring game.
Potential Match Dynamics
There's considerable speculation surrounding the Sunrisers Hyderabad's potential to surpass the 300-run mark, given LSG’s bowling attack. However, Avesh Khan’s past performance against SRH, including a four-wicket haul, offers a glimmer of hope for LSG to mitigate potential damage.
FAQs
1. Why was Avesh Khan not playing in the previous match? Avesh Khan was sidelined due to an injury.
2. What prompted LSG to choose to bowl first? The decision was likely influenced by the desire to exploit perceived weaknesses in SRH’s batting order and the crowd's enthusiasm for seeing SRH bat.
3. What is Avesh Khan’s record against SRH? Avesh Khan has previously taken a four-wicket haul against the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
4. What are the key areas to watch out for in this match? SRH's potential to score over 300 runs and Avesh Khan's ability to contain their powerful batting lineup are key areas to observe.