3 best opening combinations for LSG for IPL 2025 ft. Aiden Markram, Rishabh Pant

Lucknow Super Giants have assembled a stellar squad for the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The team looks fantastic on paper, and it looks like the Lucknow-based franchise will likely lift their first trophy in IPL 2025.

The opening pair holds the key to success for any team in T20 cricket. If the two openers can regularly provide solid starts to the team, the team will achieve more success than others. Over the last three seasons, LSG had some brilliant opening pairs like KL Rahul-Quinton de Kock and KL Rahul-Kyle Mayers.

This time around, the Lucknow Super Giants do not have KL Rahul, de Kock or Mayers in their squad. In fact, they don't even have what some fans may call a 'specialist opener suited for IPL', but this will allow the LSG team management to explore some new options.

Here are the three possible opening combinations for Lucknow in IPL 2025.

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#1 Aiden Markram and Rishabh Pant should open for LSG in IPL 2025

Left-handed Indian aggressive batters have achieved enormous success in recent IPL seasons. Be it Ishan Kishan or Abhishek Sharma, both batters have provided fiery starts to their respective franchises.

While Rishabh Pant has majorly batted in the middle-order for Delhi Capitals and India, he might have to open the batting for Lucknow Super Giants. Pant has played as an opener in the early days of his career and can turn the game completely in his team's favor with his big-hitting at the top.

The powerplay will allow Pant to bat freely in the first six overs. Pant can pick Aiden Markram as his opening partner. Markram has been struggling in the middle order of late.

Perhaps, a return to the opening position can help him regain his form. Markram notably started his T20I career as an opener for South Africa and scored three fifties in his first five innings.

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#2 Mitchell Marsh and Rishabh Pant

If Lucknow Super Giants wish to keep Aiden Markram at number three, then they can consider Australian T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh as Rishabh Pant's opening partner.

Marsh and Pant have played together for the Delhi Capitals in the past and the Aussie all-rounder also has experience of working with LSG coach Justin Langer.

Like Pant, Marsh can be an explosive option at the top of the order for Lucknow. If either Marsh or Pant bat for 15 overs, they can knock the opposition out of the contest.

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#3 Matthew Bretzkee and Mitchell Marsh

Assuming LSG does not want Aiden Markram and Rishabh Pant to leave the middle order, they will have to go with an Aussie-South African opening pair featuring Mitchell Marsh and Matthew Bretzkee.

Marsh has experience opening the batting in T20s while Bretzkee has done this job for LSG's sister franchise in SA20, Durban Super Giants.

Bretzkee does not have any experience playing in the IPL, which is why the LSG think tank will be skeptical about using an overseas spot for him. However, if the Super Giants want both Markram and Pant in the middle order, then this is the best possible opening combination for them.