IPL 2025, LSG vs MI: Spotlight on Rohit Sharma, Rishabh Pant

Mumbai Indians' (MI) Rohit Sharma and Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) skipper Rishabh Pant will once again be under the scanner when the two teams meet in their Indian Premier League (IPL) match at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Friday.
The two teams are currently positioned in the middle of the 10-team points table -- with MI at No. 5, followed by LSG --and will hope their two iconic players to be among the runs after three failed attempts.
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Both the teams have played three matches and have one win apiece.

The poor batting performance of India captain Rohit has created concerns for the MI management. Similarly, LSG captain Pant's continuous unsuccessful outings have become worrisome for LSG.
The absence of customised pitches for home teams -- a situation that has led to dissatisfaction among coaches and players across franchises -- suggests that the team performing better in the Powerplay phase, whether batting or bowling, could gain a decisive advantage.
The ongoing uncertainty surrounding Jasprit Bumrah's injury-related absence and the team management's reserved stance about his comeback has created additional challenges for Mumbai under Hardik Pandya's leadership.
However, the franchise discovered a promising talent in the form of young left-arm seamer Ashwani Kumar, who delivered a remarkable performance against the Kolkata Knight Riders, securing impressive figures of 4/24 during their victory at home on March 31.
While it would be too early to evaluate his capabilities comprehensively, the 23-year-old Punjab bowler has provided MI with renewed optimism. The five-time champions are hopeful that Ashwani's performance isn't limited to a single match.
MI delivered a convincing victory against Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium, with South African wicketkeeper-batsman Ryan Rickelton leading the successful pursuit of a modest target. The team relies heavily on Rohit and Suryakumar Yadav besides their diverse bowling attack comprising both pace and spin options.
On the other hand, LSG haven't found their rhythm since their disappointing one-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals in their opening fixture at Visakhapatnam.
West Indian big-hitter Nicholas Pooran has displayed exceptional batting performance, leading the run tally with 189 runs in three matches, including two fifties. However, apart from Australian Mitchell Marsh, who has also scored two half-centuries, other LSG batters have failed to make significant contributions.
Their primary challenges stem from underwhelming bowling performances by Shardul Thakur and Ravi Bishnoi, coupled with captain Pant's disappointing batting displays.
Pant's exclusion from India's Champions Trophy playing eleven, where KL Rahul served as wicketkeeper, followed by his current form raises concerns.
The LSG captain's batting statistics reveal a worrying trend with scores of 0, 15 and 2 in the three matches played.