The road to the IPL 2026 playoffs may seem distant for Lucknow Super Giants, which sits at the bottom of the table.

However, bowling coach Bharat Arun believes all is not lost yet. “There is light at the end of the tunnel. For us, there’s no other way. Every game is a knockout for us right from here,” Arun said.

About 300 kms separate Delhi and Jaipur. The difference in quality of the cricket played by the franchises from the two northern Indian cities has been greater this IPL season.

While Rajasthan Royals is well placed to claim a berth in the playoffs, Delhi Capitals is lying in the bottom half. And after that nightmare of a match at home against Royal Challengers Bengaluru earlier this week, Axar Patel’s men have to come up with a much better effort against Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium here on Friday (May 1, 2026).