Experienced all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja produced a brilliant all-round performance to help Rajasthan Royals (RR) defeat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2026. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja made headlines after dismissing West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran, who celebrated by pointing towards his pocket with a playful gesture.
Nicholas Pooran has continued his disappointing performance in the tournament for Lucknow, managing only four single-digit scores in seven matches. Against Rajasthan Royals, he batted cautiously after being dismissed early, but tried to accelerate against Ravindra Jadeja, eventually edging the slower ball to the long-on fielder.
After taking this important wicket in the tenth over, Ravindra Jadeja celebrated by pointing towards Pooran and then patting his pocket. The playful gesture shows that he has outwitted the batsman and dealt a crucial blow to Lucknow.
After the match, Jadeja said, “Yes, it is in my pocket (laughs). Nothing, just suddenly an idea came to my mind and I did it.”
Rajasthan Royals’ batting recovered after initial decline
Rajasthan Royals suffered an early collapse as their top order collapsed early within the powerplay. Vaibhav Suryavanshi hit two fours before being dismissed by Mohsin Khan. Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav and Mohsin Khan took two wickets each, reducing Rajasthan Royals’ score to 77/5.
Ravindra Jadeja took the innings forward by playing a calm and controlled innings on the challenging surface. Focusing on rotation and boundaries, he scored unbeaten 43 runs in 29 balls. While wickets were falling around him, Jadeja took charge of the innings and ensured that Rajasthan Royals’ batting avoided a complete collapse.
Shubham Dubey came in as an impact player and provided strong support in the final overs. He scored 19 not out and made an important partnership of 49 runs with Jadeja. His late burst helped Rajasthan Royals post a competitive score of 159, which proved to be a match-winner.
Mitchell Marsh fought alone during the collapse of Lucknow Super Giants
Lucknow Super Giants’ innings, which came to chase 160 runs, soon ended. Captain Rishabh Pant and Aiden Markram were dismissed for ducks by Nandre Berger and Joffra Archer in the first three overs. Mitchell Marsh played a fighting inning of 55 runs in 41 balls to keep the hopes alive.
Despite Marsh’s effort, the rest of the batting lineup failed to support him. The middle and lower order collapsed under pressure, including Mukul Choudhary. Jofra Archer led the bowling attack with 3/20, while Nandre Berger and Brijesh Sharma took two wickets each to maintain control.
Lucknow Super Giants suffered their fourth consecutive defeat and are in ninth place with two wins from seven matches. Rajasthan Royals bounced back from two defeats and moved up to second place in the standings behind Punjab Kings (PBKS).
Also Read: Riyan Parag’s RR teammate given strict punishment by IPL Governing Council; here’s why
