IPL2026 Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Lucknow Super Giants Match Preview
Match 23 of the TATA IPL 2026 season will see defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru host Lucknow Super Giants at Bengaluru’s M.Chinnaswamy Stadium. Having found their stride recently, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to keep the momentum going when they take on Lucknow Super Giants, who in turn will want to string together consistent showings against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. This Match is expected to see a lot of runs.
Predicted Playing XI
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Phil Salt (wk), Rajat Patidar (C), Devdutt Padikkal, Tim David, Jitesh Sharma, Krunal Pandya, Romario Shepherd, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma.
RCB’s Impact Player options: Venkatesh Iyer, Rasikh Salam.
Lucknow Super Giants: Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (C/wk), Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Prince Yadav, M Siddharth, Mayank Yadav, Ravi Bishnoi, Naveen-ul-Haq, Mohsin Khan.
Head to Head
Bengaluru have dominated Lucknow ever since they met in the league stage in IPL 2025 when Bengaluru posted a colossal total to win by 60 runs en route to their first IPL trophy. Lucknow though have a strange habit of flourishing at Bengaluru, winning both matches played at the Chinnaswamy so far.
- Matches Played: 6
- Bengaluru Wins: 4
- Lucknow Wins: 2
- Matches at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium: Lucknow 2, Bengaluru 0 (Both matches played at the venue have been won by Lucknow)
- Highest Total (Bengaluru): 230/4
- Lowest Total (Lucknow): 108/10
Pitch Report: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium
The M. Chinnaswamy pitch has historically been nothing short of a batting paradise. Balls fly off the bat at the sold-out stadium thanks to the very short boundaries and absurdly quick outfield.
- Expectations From the Pitch: Favor batsmen who can see the ball well straight down the ground.
- Bowlers: Pacers have found more success than spin in recent outings at this ground, but economy will be crucial nonetheless.
- Which team should win the toss? Batting first isn’t the usual route to victory at the Chinnaswamy anymore considering how high humidity levels and dew influence second innings runs. Teams who win the toss are highly advised to bowl first. Average first innings total at this venue over last few matches has been approximately 206 runs.
Weather Report
It will be sunny most of the day in Bengaluru with temperatures perfect for cricket.
Current: 35°C, partly cloudy, humidity 20%, rain 0%
Match Day Forecast: 21°C – 25°C, clear throughout the match with a slight (5%) chance of rain overnight.
FAQs-
- What’s the date and venue for RCB vs LSG?
Ans. This will be played at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium Bengaluru on 15th April 2026. It will be TATA IPL 2026 Match 23.
- What are the match timings?
Ans. Match will start at 7:30 PM IST. Toss will be held at 7:00 PM IST.
- How are RCB and LSG doing against each other?
Ans. Overall, RCB leads 4-2 in Head to Head matchup out of 6 matches. But, LSG won both the matches played against each other at Chinnaswamy.
- What kind of pitch can we expect today?
Ans. The Pitch at Chinnaswamy is hard to bat on. Well.. actually no! It is paradise for batsmen. In both the matches played at this venue this season, the teams have scored over 200 runs. Another example is when RCB blasted CSK aside for 250/3. The boundaries are very short here which as you might have guessed doesn’t help the bowlers at all. The surface is also very flat.
- What are the chances of rain during the match?
Ans. Looks like the weather Gods are favouring the fans this day. It will be pretty close to perfect as there is only a 0%- 5% chance of rain. So, prepare for a full 40 overs!
- Will dew factor affect the match in the second innings?
Ans. Humidity will increase through the night (~21°C To 24°C) bringing dew into the game. As we all know dew helps the team batting second as the ball gets slippery for the bowlers.
- Who will lead the teams in today’s game?
Ans. Rajat Patidar will lead defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru while Rishabh Pant will take charge of Lucknow Super Giants.
- Where can I watch the live telecast?
Ans. Star Sports Network will be telecasting the match on TV. You can also stream it for free on the JioCinema app/website.