Today IPL Match Dream 11 Team Best | LSG vs RR Dream11 Prediction IPL 2026
Today’s IPL match is LSG vs RR at Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow on April 22, 2026. For your today IPL match dream 11 team best selection, three facts define everything: Ekana’s slow pitch heavily rewards bowlers who hit the deck hard and spinners in the middle overs; RR’s top three account for 71% of their batting output, making their middle order a genuine weakness; and LSG have never beaten RR at this ground. The LSG vs RR Dream11 prediction for this match carries high stakes for both sides — two consecutive losses for RR, three for LSG. Someone’s losing streak ends tonight.
READ: LSG VS RR HEAD TO HEAD RECORDS
Match Overview
| Parameter | Info |
|---|---|
| Match | IPL 2026, Match 32 |
| Teams | Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals |
| Date | Wednesday, April 22, 2026 |
| Time | 7:30 PM IST |
| Venue | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| LSG Captain | Rishabh Pant |
| RR Captain | Riyan Parag |
| Broadcast | Star Sports, JioHotstar |
Points Table
| Team | M | W | L | Points | NRR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RR | 6 | 4 | 2 | 8 | +0.599 |
| LSG | 6 | 2 | 4 | 4 | -1.173 |
Probable Playing XI
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG): Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant (c/wk), Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Mukul Choudhary, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Prince Yadav, M Siddharth, Mohsin Khan Impact options: Abdul Samad, Digvesh Rathi, Mayank Yadav, Himmat Singh
Rajasthan Royals (RR): Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Riyan Parag (c), Shimron Hetmyer, Donovan Ferreira, Ravindra Jadeja, Jofra Archer, Nandre Burger, Ravi Bishnoi, Brijesh Sharma Impact options: Sandeep Sharma, Lhuan-dre Pretorius, Ravi Singh, Shubham Dubey
Ekana Pitch Conditions for Today IPL Match
Ekana’s red-soil surface in April is dry, slow, and two-paced. LSG’s two home matches this season produced scores of 141 and 164 batting first — both resulted in defeats. The average first innings score at Ekana across IPL history is 165-175. Chasing teams have won 13 of 23 IPL matches here. Spinners get significant grip from overs 8-15, and pace bowlers find early movement with the new ball in the first 3 overs.
The key implication for today IPL match dream 11 team best selection: prioritise pace bowlers for powerplay wickets, spinners for middle-over wickets, and batters who can anchor before accelerating rather than pure power hitters who rely on flat pitches.
Player-by-Player Analysis — Why Each Player Belongs in Your Today IPL Match Dream 11 Team Best
Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR) — Must Pick Jaiswal is the safest batting pick in this entire match. He has scored 435 runs in IPL 2026 at a strike rate of 179.75 — the most consistent opener on either side. In the LSG vs RR head to head, he has made 140+ runs including a 74 in the 2025 thriller. On Ekana’s slow pitch, his ability to sweep, rotate strike, and find boundaries even on difficult surfaces makes him the ideal anchor-accelerator combination. He faces maximum balls as an opener and provides the highest batting floor in this match.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR) — High Ceiling Pick The 15-year-old sensation has 246 IPL 2026 runs at a strike rate of 236.53 — the highest among all batters with 200+ runs this season. He is just 2 runs away from 500 IPL runs, adding extra motivation. His only failure was a golden duck against SRH. Crucially, Sooryavanshi has never faced Mohammed Shami in professional cricket — this first-ever meeting is the most unpredictable and high-ceiling battle of the match. On any surface, Sooryavanshi can score 30-50 in 12-15 balls if he gets through the first 3 deliveries.
Rishabh Pant (LSG) — Home Ground Captain Pant is the most important LSG player and the captain. His 68 not out against DC at Ekana this season proves he can score big at his home ground. His WK points add a bonus floor to every innings. The concern is Ravi Bishnoi — who has dismissed Pant twice and held his strike rate to just 113 in their head-to-head. If Pant faces Bishnoi in overs 8-10, it becomes the defining wicket of the match. Despite this risk, Pant’s home record and WK combination make him an essential pick.
Ravi Bishnoi (RR) — #1 Bowling Pick Bishnoi leads RR’s wicket charts with 10 IPL 2026 wickets — joint top of the Purple Cap standings. He has dismissed Pant twice and Markram once in their head-to-head encounters. Ekana’s slow, gripping surface is the ideal surface for leg-spin — the ball grips, turns, and skids through at variable heights in the middle overs. His 4/41 against MI earlier this season demonstrated that he can single-handedly break open an innings. He is the most dangerous bowler in today’s match for Dream11 points.
Mohammed Shami (LSG) — Pace Bowling Essential Shami took 2 wickets for 9 runs against SRH at this exact ground earlier this IPL 2026 season — that is on-venue form at Ekana. His seam movement with the new ball in the first 3 overs provides LSG with their best chance of disrupting Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal early. He has also dismissed Jaiswal once in their head-to-head encounters. The Shami versus Sooryavanshi first-ever meeting is the most anticipated battle of this match and one that can define both teams’ innings.
Aiden Markram (LSG) — Consistent Middle-Order Anchor Markram has scored 315 IPL 2026 runs across 9 matches at a strike rate of 149.28. He is the most technically correct batter in LSG’s lineup and handles both pace and spin with composure. On Ekana’s slow pitch, his ability to rotate strike and build partnerships makes him the backbone of LSG’s batting when Pant inevitably gets out. Bishnoi has dismissed him once but Markram’s overall competence against spin makes him a reliable pick.
Jofra Archer (RR) — Powerplay Wicket-Taker Archer has 8 wickets in IPL 2026 at an economy of 9.0. In the last match against KKR, he equalled the IPL record for most first-ball wickets — his fifth such dismissal in IPL history. He dismissed Marsh once in their T20 head-to-head and provides RR with genuine 145 km/h pace against LSG’s top order. On Ekana, where the ball carries nicely in the first 6 overs, Archer’s pace and movement off the pitch make him a premium powerplay option.
Ravindra Jadeja (RR) — All-Round Value Jadeja bowls left-arm spin at an economy of 7.8 in IPL 2026 — the most economical bowler in this match. LSG have left-handers in Pant, Marsh, and Pooran — Jadeja’s natural angle into their body creates genuine lbw and bowled threats in the middle overs. He also bats at No. 7 and can produce useful cameos. On Ekana’s slow surface where spin grips from overs 8 onwards, Jadeja represents the best economy-wickets combination in the bowling unit.
Ayush Badoni (LSG) — Differential Middle-Order Pick Badoni’s 54 not out off 27 balls against KKR was the match-winning performance that gave LSG their last win. He also scored 38 against RCB at Ekana in an innings where most of the batting failed. Two innings at Ekana, two scores above 35 — this is venue-specific performance data that cannot be ignored. He comes in at No. 4 or 5 when the pitch has settled slightly, which is when Ekana becomes more batting-friendly with the new ball worn.
Mukul Choudhary (LSG) — WK Differential Pick Choudhary has 127 IPL 2026 runs at a strike rate of 149.41 including a crucial 54 not out. He can bat and keep wickets, providing flexibility in fantasy team construction. His low ownership — since most fantasy users pick Pant as the WK — creates the separation you need in large contests. Deploying Choudhary as WK frees up a budget slot for an additional quality bowler.
Prince Yadav (LSG) — Budget Bowler Prince leads LSG’s wicket chart with 11 IPL 2026 wickets — the most by any LSG bowler. He has 5 powerplay wickets in this match-up, which is joint highest. On Ekana, his hard-length deliveries extract bounce and his slower ball variations break partnerships in the middle overs. His lower credit cost compared to Archer and Bishnoi makes him the ideal budget bowling slot in your today IPL match dream 11 team best combination.
Players to Avoid In Your Dream11 Team
Nicholas Pooran has produced just 51 runs in 6 IPL 2026 innings at a strike rate of 80 — the worst batting performance of any regular in this match. He has been dismissed cheaply by Bishnoi and Jadeja multiple times. Do not pick him in any format.
Riyan Parag is the RR captain but their worst batter with 65 runs at SR 89 in 6 matches. Siddharth has dismissed him twice and Shami once. The slow Ekana pitch will amplify his weakness against spin. Avoid completely.
Shimron Hetmyer has 51 runs in 6 innings at SR 91. He is a pure power hitter who cannot construct an innings on slow pitches. Ekana’s variable bounce creates problems for his front-foot dominant game. Avoid.
Nandre Burger dropped a straightforward catch against KKR that directly cost RR the game. His bowling has been expensive across the last two matches, and Ekana’s slower surface does not suit his fuller, swing-based approach. Avoid.
Today IPL Match Dream 11 Team Best — Small League (SL) Team
Wicketkeeper: Rishabh Pant (LSG)
Batters: Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR), Aiden Markram (LSG), Ayush Badoni (LSG)
All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja (RR), Donovan Ferreira (RR)
Bowlers: Ravi Bishnoi (RR), Jofra Archer (RR), Mohammed Shami (LSG), Prince Yadav (LSG)
Captain: Yashasvi Jaiswal | Vice-Captain: Rishabh Pant
Why this SL IPL Today Match Dream 11 Team: Jaiswal as captain is the safest possible choice — 435 IPL 2026 runs, opens the batting for maximum balls, proven in this exact head-to-head fixture. Pant as VC combines home ground advantage with WK bonus points and a proven big score at Ekana this season. The bowling unit covers all phases — Archer powerplay, Bishnoi and Jadeja middle overs, Shami and Prince new ball. Ferreira is a low-credit all-rounder who bowls and bats, freeing budget for premium bowlers.
Today Match IPL Dream 11 Team — Grand League (GL) Team
Wicketkeeper: Mukul Choudhary (LSG)
Batters: Yashasvi Jaiswal (RR), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR), Dhruv Jurel (RR), Aiden Markram (LSG)
All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja (RR), Ayush Badoni (LSG)
Bowlers: Ravi Bishnoi (RR), Jofra Archer (RR), Mohammed Shami (LSG), Prince Yadav (LSG)
Captain: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | Vice-Captain: Ravi Bishnoi
Why this GL team works: Sooryavanshi as captain is the key differential — his 236.53 strike rate and first-ever meeting against Shami creates a high-ceiling outcome that most SL-focused teams will avoid by defaulting to Jaiswal. Bishnoi as VC is backed by 10 IPL 2026 wickets, 2 Pant dismissals, and Ekana’s ideal leg-spin surface. Choudhary as WK instead of Pant creates massive ownership separation — if Pant fails (which he has done 4 times this season), you are insulated. Jurel at No. 3 for RR has a 52 not out at this exact venue in IPL 2024 — venue-specific precedent at low ownership.
Ipl Today Match Dream 11 Team — Differential Team
Wicketkeeper: Mukul Choudhary (LSG)
Batters: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (RR), Aiden Markram (LSG), Ayush Badoni (LSG), Dhruv Jurel (RR)
All-rounders: Ravindra Jadeja (RR), Donovan Ferreira (RR)
Bowlers: Ravi Bishnoi (RR), Mohammed Shami (LSG), Prince Yadav (LSG), M Siddharth (LSG)
Captain: Ravi Bishnoi | Vice-Captain: Mohammed Shami
Why this differential team works: Bishnoi as captain is the most contrarian pick — almost no one will captain a spinner in a match where Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal are explosive. But if Bishnoi takes 4 wickets at Ekana’s spin-friendly surface, this team wins the contest. Shami as VC is backed by 2/9 at this ground this season. Siddharth is the ultra-low-ownership spin pick — he has dismissed Parag twice and Jurel once. Choudhary, Badoni, Jurel as batters give you a completely unique roster structure.
Captain-VC Summary
| Option | Captain | Vice-Captain | Best For | Key Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Safe | Yashasvi Jaiswal | Rishabh Pant | Small League | Maximum consistency, max balls |
| Differential | Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | Ravi Bishnoi | Grand League | Low ownership, highest ceiling |
| Home Hero | Rishabh Pant | Mohammed Shami | Post-toss SL if LSG bat first | Home form + 2/9 at venue |
| Bowling Heavy | Ravi Bishnoi | Jofra Archer | Spin-pitch GL | If Ekana grips early, both fire |
| Pure Contrarian | Ravi Bishnoi | Mohammed Shami | Differential only | Both low-ownership, high upside |
Match Prediction
The toss is critical at Ekana — both IPL 2026 matches here were won by the chasing team. Expect both captains to bowl first.
RR will win this match if Sooryavanshi and Jaiswal score 70-plus in the powerplay, Bishnoi dismisses Pant in the middle overs, and RR chase anything under 185 comfortably.
LSG will win if Shami dismisses Sooryavanshi in the powerplay, Pant builds a 60-plus innings at home, and the spinners (Siddharth, Mohsin) exploit RR’s fragile middle order of Parag, Hetmyer, and Ferreira.
Predicted Winner: RR — backed by a 4-2 head to head lead, better overall squad balance, and the Sooryavanshi-Jaiswal opening partnership which is the most dangerous in the tournament.
FAQ
Q1. What is the best today IPL match Dream11 team for LSG vs RR?
The best today IPL match dream 11 team for small leagues is: Pant (WK), Jaiswal (C), Sooryavanshi, Markram, Badoni, Jadeja, Ferreira, Bishnoi, Archer, Shami, Prince Yadav — with Jaiswal captain and Pant vice-captain. For grand leagues, swap Pant for Choudhary as WK, add Jurel, and make Sooryavanshi captain with Bishnoi as VC.
Q2. Who is the best captain for today IPL match dream 11 team best selection?
Yashasvi Jaiswal is the safest captain for today IPL match dream 11 team best in small leagues — 435 IPL 2026 runs, proven in this fixture, opens the batting. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is the best grand league captain — 236.53 strike rate, first-ever meeting with Shami creates a high-ceiling unpredictable outcome, and 2 runs away from 500 IPL runs adds motivation.
Q3. Which bowler is best for today match IPL dream 11 team from LSG vs RR?
Ravi Bishnoi is the clear number one — 10 IPL 2026 wickets, 2 Pant dismissals in head-to-head, and Ekana’s slow surface suits leg-spin perfectly in the middle overs. Mohammed Shami is the second pick with 2 wickets for 9 runs at Ekana this season and a head-to-head record that includes one Jaiswal dismissal.
Q4. Who should be avoided in today IPL match dream 11 team?
Nicholas Pooran (51 runs at SR 80 in 6 innings), Riyan Parag (65 runs at SR 89, dismissed by LSG spinners multiple times), Shimron Hetmyer (51 runs at SR 91), and Nandre Burger (expensive and dropped a match-costing catch last game) should all be avoided in every format.
Q5. LSG vs RR who will win today — final prediction?
RR are slight favourites based on their superior squad balance, 4-2 head to head lead, and the Sooryavanshi-Jaiswal opening partnership. However, Ekana’s slow pitch suits LSG’s home spinners, and RR’s middle order has been underperforming. If Shami removes Sooryavanshi cheaply and Bishnoi does not fire, LSG have a genuine chance of ending their 3-match losing streak.
Disclaimer: For fantasy sports entertainment purposes only. Play responsibly. 18+ only.
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