Defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) take on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Match 23 of IPL 2026 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium on April 15. The matchup promises an intriguing contrast: RCB arrive as the tournament’s most reliable batting side while LSG boast the league’s stingiest bowling numbers so far.
Key takeaways
- RCB are positioned third after posting a 200-plus score in every match they have played this season.
- LSG are currently seventh and will aim to recover from their most recent defeat to Gujarat Titans.
- Lucknow’s bowling attack has not allowed an opposition total of 200 runs in IPL 2026 so far.
- RCB’s season has been strengthened by consistent contributions around the middle order, with captain Rajat Patidar in particularly sharp form.
- The main concern for RCB is their end-overs bowling, with their death-overs economy flagged as one of the poorest in the competition.
RCB vs LSG: form guide and what to expect
RCB enter the contest on the back of a high-scoring win over Mumbai Indians, having crossed the 200-run mark in each of their matches this term. Their batting has looked like a settled unit, with captain Rajat Patidar leading from the front and showing especially strong returns against pace. While the runs have been coming consistently, RCB’s bowling—particularly during the death overs—has not matched the same level of control, with one of the lowest economy rates in the season.
LSG, meanwhile, are in an uneven phase of their campaign, having won the same number of matches as they have lost. Their inconsistency has been driven largely by below-par output from a couple of overseas stalwarts, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran. Still, Lucknow have found positives in unexpected places, including contributions from Mukul Choudhary, and a bowling unit spearheaded by Mohammed Shami.
Head-to-head and pitch report
In their prior meetings, the sides have played six times in total. RCB have come out on top on four occasions, while LSG have won twice.
The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium is widely regarded as one of the IPL’s most batter-friendly grounds, thanks to a flat pitch and short boundaries. For Tuesday’s contest, fans can expect the ball to come on to the bat smoothly, making it easier for hitters to clear the fence. The venue’s reputation is reinforced by the fact that 200-plus totals have already been produced there during this season.
Predicted playing XI
Royal Challengers Bengaluru predicted XI: Phil Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Rasikh Salam, Josh Hazlewood. Impact Sub: Suyash Sharma.
Lucknow Super Giants predicted XI: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, George Linde/Anrich Nortje, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi. Impact Sub: Prince Yadav.
Bengaluru weather and match details
The forecast for Bengaluru is expected to be ideal, with clear skies and no rain threat. As the match is scheduled for the evening at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, conditions should stay dry throughout, with temperatures predicted to sit between 21°C and 25°C during the game window.
The RCB vs LSG clash begins at 7:30 PM IST at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The match will be shown on the Star Sports Network, with live streaming available on JioHotstar.
Full squads
Royal Challengers Bengaluru squad: Philip Salt, Virat Kohli, Devdutt Padikkal, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma, Rasikh Salam Dar, Venkatesh Iyer, Jacob Bethell, Swapnil Singh, Mangesh Yadav, Josh Hazlewood, Jordan Cox, Nuwan Thushara, Vicky Ostwal, Vihaan Malhotra, Abhinandan Singh, Kanishk Chouhan, Satvik Deswal.
Lucknow Super Giants squad: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Mukul Choudhary, George Linde, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Singh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Manimaran Siddharth, Shahbaz Ahmed, Mayank Yadav, Matthew Breetzke, Anrich Nortje, Josh Inglis, Himmat Singh, Mohsin Khan, Arjun Tendulkar, Akash Maharaj Singh, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Arshin Kulkarni, Naman Tiwari.
