Shortly after the BCCI announced the full schedule of IPL 2025 season, Zaheer Khan, the mentor of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), said the side shapes up as a strong contender for winning the title. The Rishabh Pant-led LSG will play its opening match of IPL 2025 against Delhi Capitals, a side the wicketkeeper-batter previously led, in an evening clash on March 24 at ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Pant became the most expensive player in IPL's history when LSG acquired him for INR 27 crore at the mega auction in Jeddah last year. LSG reached the playoffs of IPL 2022 and 2023 seasons, before exiting in the Eliminator twice. In IPL 2024, LSG finished at seventh place in the points table.