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The Lucknow Super Giants Vs Rajasthan Royals Timeline showcases one of the IPL‘s newest yet most competitive rivalries. Since Lucknow Super Giants entered the league in 2022, every meeting with Rajasthan Royals has featured high-quality cricket, close finishes, and standout individual performances. Both franchises have built strong squads filled with international stars and talented Indian players, making their contests exciting for fans and analysts alike. This article covers the complete rivalry from the first match to the present, including head-to-head records, season-by-season results, memorable moments, top player performances, team statistics, and the key milestones that have shaped this growing IPL rivalry.
How the LSG vs RR Rivalry Started
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) vs. Rajasthan Royals (RR) rivalry started as a battle for structural dominance when LSG entered the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a new franchise in 2022.
Unlike older, historic IPL rivalries built on regional proximity or long-term bad blood, this rivalry was sparked instantly by high-stakes, nail-biting finishes and tactical drama from their very first meeting.
1.The Instant Classic Debut (2022)
The rivalry kicked off on April 10, 2022, at the Wankhede Stadium. It was only LSG’s fourth-ever IPL match. Rajasthan batted first and crawled to 165/6. What should have been a routine chase for LSG turned into an absolute thriller. Marcus Stoinis nearly pulled off a miracle win for Lucknow, but RR’s Kuldeep Sen defended 15 runs in the final over to secure a 3-run victory for Rajasthan. This immediate, heart-stopping finish set the tone that matches between these two teams would always go down to the wire.
2. The Ravichandran Ashwin “Retired Out” Tactical Drama
In that very first match, IPL history was made. Rajasthan’s Ravichandran Ashwin deliberately walked off the field, becoming the first player in IPL history to be tactically “retired out” so a big-hitter (Riyan Parag) could face the final overs. This hyper-aggressive, Moneyball-style tactical move against the debutant Lucknow franchise instantly gave the fixture a unique, high-IQ cricketing edge.
3. The “Unbreakable” Defending Streak
The rivalry quickly became defined by a fascinating tactical trend: neither team could chase down a total. In their first six encounters from 2022 to 2024, the team batting first won every single time. [12]
- RR defended 165 and 178 in 2022.
- LSG defended 154 in 2023.
- RR defended 193 in 2024.
- LSG defended 180 in 2025.
This created a fierce psychological battle at the toss, where both captains knew that setting a target was the ultimate recipe for victory. Rajasthan finally broke this curse in late 2024 by successfully chasing 196 in Lucknow.
4. Clashing Team Philosophies
The rivalry was also fueled by a massive contrast in team cultures:
- The Established Royals: Rajasthan represents IPL royalty as the inaugural 2008 champions, built heavily on nurturing young, explosive Indian batting talent (like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, and later Vaibhav Sooryavanshi).
- The Ambitious Newcomers: Lucknow arrived in 2022 with a corporate, data-driven mindset, building flexible squads packed with versatile all-rounders designed to choke teams on sluggish pitches.
Lucknow Super Giants Vs Rajasthan Royals Timeline: Match-by-Match History
The complete match-by-match history between the Rajasthan Royals and the Lucknow Super Giants features 8 encounters, with Rajasthan holding a dominant 6-2 lead in their head-to-head timeline.
A detailed chronological breakdown spans from their initial meeting during Lucknow’s debut season to the high-scoring clashes of the recent season:
2022 Season: The Opening Battles
- Match 1 (April 10, 2022) at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
- Result: Rajasthan Royals won by 3 runs.
- Summary: Rajasthan posted 165/6 behind Shimron Hetmyer’s unbeaten 59. Despite late fireworks from Marcus Stoinis, Yuzvendra Chahal’s brilliant spell of 4/41 and Kuldeep Sen’s tense final over restricted Lucknow to 162/8. This match also saw Ravichandran Ashwin make history as the first IPL batter to be tactically retired out.
- Match 2 (May 15, 2022) at Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai
- Result: Rajasthan Royals won by 24 runs.
- Summary: Rajasthan Royals batted first and scored 178/6. Their disciplined bowling unit choked the Lucknow Super Giants chase completely, restricting them to 154/8 to seal a comfortable victory.
2023 Season: Lucknow Strikes Back
- Match 3 (April 19, 2023) at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
- Result: Lucknow Super Giants won by 10 runs.
- Summary: In a low-scoring thriller, Lucknow Super Giants ground out 154/7 with Kyle Mayers scoring 51. Avesh Khan stepped up beautifully with the ball, picking up 3/25 to stop the Royals at 144/6 and hand Lucknow their first victory over Rajasthan Royals.
2024 Season: Total Royals Dominance
- Match 4 (March 24, 2024) at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
- Result: Rajasthan Royals won by 20 runs.
- Summary: Sanju Samson led from the front with a blistering, unbeaten 82 off 52 balls, guiding Rajasthan to 193/4. Lucknow’s batting line-up could not keep pace with the climbing run rate, finishing at 173/6.
- Match 5 (April 27, 2024) at Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
- Result: Rajasthan Royals won by 7 wickets.
- Summary: Lucknow batted first to set a competitive target of 196/5. However, Sanju Samson (71 not out) and Dhruv Jurel (52 not out) constructed an exceptional, unbroken 121-run partnership to comfortably chase it down, marking the first time in rivalry history that a chasing team won.
2025 Season: The Last-Over Heist
- Match 6 (April 19, 2025) at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
- Result: Lucknow Super Giants won by 2 runs.
- Summary: Newly led by Rishabh Pant, Lucknow Super Giants set a solid score of 180/5. The Royals looked well on track for a home chase, but a dramatic collapse against Lucknow Super Giants death bowling left them stranded at 178/5 in a final-ball thriller.
2026 Season: The Clean Sweep
- Match 7 (April 22, 2026) at Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
- Result: Rajasthan Royals won by 40 runs.
- Summary: Rajasthan batted first on a difficult surface, scratching their way to 159/6 anchored by Ravindra Jadeja’s 43 not out. Jadeja then excelled with the ball to secure Player of the Match honors as the Royals bowled out a collapsing Lucknow Super Giants side for a mere 119 runs.
- Match 8 (May 19, 2026) at Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
- Result: Rajasthan Royals won by 7 wickets.
- Summary: A relentless batting paradise saw Mitchell Marsh smash 96 off 57 balls to propel Lucknow to a towering 220/5. Rajasthan pulled off a historic chase anyway; 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi obliterated the Lucknow Super Giants bowlers with a spectacular 38-ball 93, allowing Rajasthan Royals to reach 225/3 with 5 balls to spare.
Lucknow Super Giants Vs Rajasthan Royals Head-to-Head Record
The Rajasthan Royals dominate the overall head-to-head record against the Lucknow Super Giants.
| Metric | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Matches | 8 |
| Matches Won by Rajasthan Royals | 6 |
| Matches Won by Lucknow Super Giants | 2 |
| No Result or Tied | 0 |
Season-by-Season LSG vs RR Results
The chronological layout shows the early dominance of Rajasthan Royals, a temporary fightback from Lucknow Super Giants, and a subsequent clean sweep by Rajasthan.
| Season | Total Matches | Won by RR | Won by LSG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2024 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 2026 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
Venue-Wise Record Between LSG and RR
The rivalry has primarily unfolded at home grounds in Jaipur and Lucknow, after initial neutral encounters in Mumbai.
| Venue | Matches | Won by RR | Won by LSG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai | 1 | 1 | 0 |
Highest and Lowest Team Totals
The matches have evolved from low scoring defensive encounters to massive, high scoring modern T20 bashes.
| Team | Highest Total | Lowest Total |
|---|---|---|
| Rajasthan Royals | 225 for 3 in May 2026 | 144 for 6 in April 2023 |
| Lucknow Super Giants | 220 for 5 in May 2026 | 119 all out in April 2026 |
Top Batting Performances
Sanju Samson holds the record for the most total runs in this head-to-head fixture, highlighted by key unbeaten match-winning knocks.
| Player | Team | Runs Score | Balls Faced | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Marsh | LSG | 96 | 57 | May 19, 2026 |
| Vaibhav Sooryavanshi | RR | 93 | 38 | May 19, 2026 |
| Sanju Samson | RR | 82 not out | 52 | March 24, 2024 |
| Sanju Samson | RR | 71 not out | 33 | April 27, 2024 |
Best Bowling Figures
Spinners and opening swing bowlers have had the highest impact on shifting momentum in this rivalry.
| Bowler | Team | Bowling Figures | Match Venue | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yuzvendra Chahal | RR | 4 for 41 in 4 overs | Wankhede Stadium | April 10, 2022 |
| Avesh Khan | LSG | 3 for 25 in 4 overs | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | April 19, 2023 |
| Avesh Khan | LSG | 3 for 37 in 4 overs | Sawai Mansingh Stadium | April 19, 2025 |
Most Memorable Matches
- The 3-Run Nail-Biter (April 10, 2022): Rajasthan Royals posted 165 for 6. Lucknow Super Giants came incredibly close during the final over via Marcus Stoinis, but fell just 3 runs short. This match is also famous for Ravichandran Ashwin retiring himself out tactically.
- The 2-Run Jaipur Jailbreak (April 19, 2025): Lucknow Super Giants posted a modest 180 for 5. The top order of Rajasthan Royals put them well ahead of the rate, but an incredible death-bowling choke restricted Rajasthan to 178 for 5 to seal a 2-run win for Lucknow.
- The Record Chasing Paradise (May 19, 2026): Lucknow Super Giants looked unstoppable, posting 220 for 5 behind Mitchell Marsh’s 96. Rajasthan Royals completely tore up the playbook as young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi blasted 93 off just 38 balls, leading Rajasthan to a historic 225 for 3 with nearly an over to spare.
Key Records and Statistics
The structural summary of the rivalry highlights a competitive edge that shifted dramatically into high-scoring modern battles by the 2026 season.
| Record Metric | Record Holder | Statistic Details | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Most Runs | Sanju Samson (RR) | 265 Runs | 2022 to 2024 |
| Highest Score | Mitchell Marsh (LSG) | 96 Runs off 57 Balls | May 19, 2026 |
| Most Wickets | Avesh Khan (LSG/RR) | 8 Wickets | 2023 to 2025 |
| Best Bowling Figures | Yuzvendra Chahal (RR) | 4 for 41 in 4 overs | April 10, 2022 |
| Highest Team Total | Rajasthan Royals | 225 for 3 | May 19, 2026 |
| Lowest Team Total | Lucknow Super Giants | 119 all out | April 22, 2026 |
FAQs
- What is the overall head-to-head record between LSG and RR?
Rajasthan Royals have won 6 matches, whereas Lucknow Super Giants have managed 2 wins out of their 8 total meetings. - Who scored the highest individual runs in a single match of this fixture?
Mitchell Marsh holds the record with 96 runs off 57 balls for LSG, closely followed by RR’s young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi who smashed 93 runs off 38 balls in the exact same game. - Which team dominates matches held at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur?
The venue record is perfectly balanced, with both Rajasthan Royals and Lucknow Super Giants winning 2 matches each out of 4 encounters in Jaipur. - What historic event happened during the very first LSG vs RR match in 2022?
Ravichandran Ashwin of the Rajasthan Royals became the first player in IPL history to be tactically retired out during their clash on April 10, 2022.
Final Thoughts
The Lucknow Super Giants Vs Rajasthan Royals Timeline highlights how quickly a modern IPL rivalry can develop into a must-watch contest. Although the teams have faced each other only since 2022, they have already produced thrilling matches, remarkable performances, and unforgettable moments. As both franchises continue to strengthen their squads and challenge for IPL titles, this rivalry is expected to become even more competitive in the coming seasons. Fans can look forward to more exciting encounters, new records, and dramatic finishes whenever Lucknow Super Giants and Rajasthan Royals meet on the cricket field.
