The form of the middle order, especially skipper Riyan Parag, remains a major concern for Rajasthan Royals as they aim to halt a slide following consecutive defeats when they face a struggling Lucknow Super Giants in an IPL clash on Wednesday.

Currently placed third on the points table, the inaugural champions began their campaign strongly with four straight wins but have since stumbled in their last two matches. They were handed a heavy 57-run defeat by Sunrisers Hyderabad after a dramatic collapse, losing five wickets for just nine runs against pace. In their previous outing against Kolkata Knight Riders, RR squandered a strong position as Rinku Singh led a remarkable turnaround to secure KKR’s first win in seven games this season.

Parag, who was a surprise choice as captain following Sanju Samson’s exit, has struggled badly with the bat. He has managed just three single-digit scores in six innings, with a highest of only 20 so far.

Also read: Hamstring injury: CSK’s Ayush Mhatre to miss remaining IPL 2026

RR’s top order—Yashasvi Jaiswal, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and Dhruv Jurel—has carried the batting this season, but the team often falters when they fail to deliver. While Parag is out of form, veteran Ravindra Jadeja has looked below his best, and big-hitter Shimron Hetmyer has also struggled, scoring just 39 runs in four innings.

Despite this, batting coach Vikram Rathour has backed his captain to bounce back, saying it is only a matter of time before Parag regains form and contributes match-winning performances. Fielding has been another weak area for RR. Nandre Burger dropped Rinku Singh early in the last match, a costly error as he and Anukul Roy turned the game in the death overs.

Even so, RR appear stronger on paper than LSG, who are languishing in ninth place after three straight losses. RR’s opening pair has been one of the most consistent this season, with Sooryavanshi in excellent form and Jaiswal providing steady starts, making early breakthroughs crucial for LSG.

However, LSG’s bowling attack is under pressure after being dismantled by Punjab Kings. Priyansh Arya and Cooper Connolly powered PBKS to 254/7—the highest total of the season—during a dominant 54-run victory. The duo shared a massive 182-run partnership for the second wicket in just 13.2 overs.
Among LSG bowlers, Prince Yadav has been a rare bright spot with figures of 2/25, while pacers Avesh Khan and Mohammed Shami have struggled with consistency. Manimaran Siddharth has also been expensive.

LSG will look to exploit RR’s fragile middle order, but their own batting unit remains unsettled as they continue searching for the right combination. The move to promote Ayush Badoni to open alongside Mitchell Marsh has not paid off. While Marsh has scored back-to-back 40s, he has failed to convert starts into big innings. Captain Rishabh Pant has also been inconsistent, and Nicholas Pooran’s poor form has further added to their troubles.

For LSG to revive their campaign, both their batting and bowling units will need to click together. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm.