Veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja put up a brilliant all-round performance to help Rajasthan Royals (RR) defeat Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2026. Left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja grabbed the headlines after dismissing West Indies batsman Nicholas Pooran, celebrating by pointing to his pocket with a playful gesture.

Nicholas Pooran has continued a disappointing run in the tournament for Lucknow, posting four single-digit scores in seven matches. Against Rajasthan Royals, he batted cautiously after an early collapse, but tried to accelerate against Ravindra Jadeja, eventually missing a slower ball towards the long fielder.

After taking this key wicket in the 10th over, Ravindra Jadeja celebrated by pointing at Pooran and then touching his own pocket. The playful gesture suggested he had outwitted the batsman and dealt a crucial blow to Lucknow’s chase.

“Yes, it’s in my pocket (laughs). Nothing, I just had a random idea and I did it,” Jadeja said after the match.

Rajasthan Royals bounce back after early batting collapse

Rajasthan Royals suffered an early collapse as their top order quickly fell into the powerplay. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi hit two boundaries before Mohsin Khan dismissed him. Mohammad Shami, Prince Yadav and Mohsin Khan picked up two wickets each, reducing Rajasthan Royals to 77/5.

Ravindra Jadeja steadied the innings with a calm and controlled stroke on a challenging surface. He scored an unbeaten 43 off 29 deliveries, concentrating on spin and boundaries. With wickets falling around him, Jadeja anchored the innings and ensured Rajasthan Royals avoided a complete batting collapse.

Shubham Dubey came in as an impact player and provided great support in the final overs. He scored an unbeaten 19 runs and built a crucial 49-run partnership with Jadeja. Their late acceleration helped Rajasthan Royals post a competitive total of 159, resulting in the match win.

Mitchell Marsh fights alone as Lucknow supergiants collapse

Chasing 160 runs, Lucknow Super Giants suffered an early collapse. Captain Rishabh Pant and Aiden Markram were dismissed for ducks in the first three overs by Nandre Burger and Jofra Archer. Mitchell Marsh scored 55 off 41 deliveries to keep hopes alive.

Despite Marsh’s efforts, the rest of the batting line-up did not support him. The middle and lower orders collapsed under pressure, including Mukul Choudhary. Jofra Archer led the bowling attack with 3/20, while Nandre Burger and Brijesh Sharma took two wickets each to seal control.

Lucknow Super Giants suffered their fourth consecutive defeat and are at ninth place with two wins in seven matches. Rajasthan Royals bounced back from two losses and moved up to second place in the standings, just behind Punjab Kings (PBKS).

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