<p>Bengaluru: A rampaging Royal Challengers Bengaluru will host an erring Lucknow Super Giants in what seems to be a battle of contrasts at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Wednesday. </p>.<p>With skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran taking turns to clobber side-arm specialists on either side of the main strip, and another belter of a surface expected, the game has all the ingredients of a high-scoring affair. </p>.<p>The match will be played on the same surface as the RCB-CSK game, pitch No. 6, which saw 457 runs being scored, confirmed one of the groundstaff to DH. </p>.<p>The Challengers’ onslaught has been unrelenting and they have been on a six-hitting spree, smashing 54 in the tournament so far. </p>.IPL 2026 | Bowling worries return as RCB eye title defence .<p>Salt might not have had a great year so far, but RCB would be pleased that the destructive Englishman is back doing what he does best: cause serious damage which he did with a 36-ball 78 against Mumbai Indians.</p>.<p>At the heart of RCB’s success has been their batting. However, from an Indian perspective, there’s been an extra buzz around skipper Patidar and talks about him competing for the No.3/No. 4 national T20 spots are slowly gaining weight. </p>.<p>The 32-year-old has taken his batting to another level this year, smashing 18 sixes in four games, and will hope to add to his reputation against LSG.</p>.<p>A contest with the makings of a classic is that of Virat Kohli versus Mohammed Shami. While Kohli has been at slip or short covers to Shami in Indian colours and has played him plenty of times in the nets, this promises a good contest. </p>.<p>While Kohli did not take the field during Mumbai’s chase in RCB’s last outing, the 37-year-old batted on the eve of the game. </p>.<p>On the bowling front, Jacob Duffy has done a good job as Josh Hazlewood’s back-up, and there could be a temptation to play both the quicks, keeping Romario Shephard out, if the Australian is match fit. </p>.<p>Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, Suyash Sharma and Rasikh Dar have been going about their business fairly well on tracks that have been batting-friendly. </p>.High on stakes, low on decibel.<p>On the other hand, Super Giants were among the formidable sides in the first two years of their establishment, even making the play-offs twice under KL Rahul, before their performances began to taper off. Since then, they have had two seventh-place finishes. </p>.<p>One of their biggest worries has been Rishabh Pant’s batting, as the flamboyant wicketkeeper-bat has managed just 103 runs in four games and 372 runs since the 2025 season. </p>.<p>The likes of Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran have blown hot and cold, adding to the concerns as they have managed just four points from four games. </p>.<p>With the likes of Shami and young Indian talent, they will have their task cut out against a well-oiled RCB at a stadium that has witnessed 200-plus scores being scored 37 times in IPL.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: A rampaging Royal Challengers Bengaluru will host an erring Lucknow Super Giants in what seems to be a battle of contrasts at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium here on Wednesday. </p>.<p>With skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt, Jitesh Sharma, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran taking turns to clobber side-arm specialists on either side of the main strip, and another belter of a surface expected, the game has all the ingredients of a high-scoring affair. </p>.<p>The match will be played on the same surface as the RCB-CSK game, pitch No. 6, which saw 457 runs being scored, confirmed one of the groundstaff to DH. </p>.<p>The Challengers’ onslaught has been unrelenting and they have been on a six-hitting spree, smashing 54 in the tournament so far. </p>.IPL 2026 | Bowling worries return as RCB eye title defence .<p>Salt might not have had a great year so far, but RCB would be pleased that the destructive Englishman is back doing what he does best: cause serious damage which he did with a 36-ball 78 against Mumbai Indians.</p>.<p>At the heart of RCB’s success has been their batting. However, from an Indian perspective, there’s been an extra buzz around skipper Patidar and talks about him competing for the No.3/No. 4 national T20 spots are slowly gaining weight. </p>.<p>The 32-year-old has taken his batting to another level this year, smashing 18 sixes in four games, and will hope to add to his reputation against LSG.</p>.<p>A contest with the makings of a classic is that of Virat Kohli versus Mohammed Shami. While Kohli has been at slip or short covers to Shami in Indian colours and has played him plenty of times in the nets, this promises a good contest. </p>.<p>While Kohli did not take the field during Mumbai’s chase in RCB’s last outing, the 37-year-old batted on the eve of the game. </p>.<p>On the bowling front, Jacob Duffy has done a good job as Josh Hazlewood’s back-up, and there could be a temptation to play both the quicks, keeping Romario Shephard out, if the Australian is match fit. </p>.<p>Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, Suyash Sharma and Rasikh Dar have been going about their business fairly well on tracks that have been batting-friendly. </p>.High on stakes, low on decibel.<p>On the other hand, Super Giants were among the formidable sides in the first two years of their establishment, even making the play-offs twice under KL Rahul, before their performances began to taper off. Since then, they have had two seventh-place finishes. </p>.<p>One of their biggest worries has been Rishabh Pant’s batting, as the flamboyant wicketkeeper-bat has managed just 103 runs in four games and 372 runs since the 2025 season. </p>.<p>The likes of Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran have blown hot and cold, adding to the concerns as they have managed just four points from four games. </p>.<p>With the likes of Shami and young Indian talent, they will have their task cut out against a well-oiled RCB at a stadium that has witnessed 200-plus scores being scored 37 times in IPL.</p>