Lucknow Super Giants are playing their last match of the IPL 2025, where they are facing Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Lucknow in the last league stage game of the tournament on Tuesday evening (May 27). While South African cricketer Aiden Markram is absent from the game, here we are going through the reason for his absence.

Rishabh Pant-led Lucknow Super Giants lost the toss in their last game of the season, while RCB sent them to bat first. Talking about the squad, LSG skipper revealed two changes. While Digvesh Rathi obviously joined the playing squad after completing his one-match suspension, South African Matthew Breetzke replaced his native Aiden Markram for the match. With this match, Breetzke makes his IPL debut.

Aiden Markram is the third leading run-scorer for LSG in the IPL 2025. The right-handed batter scored 445 runs in 13 innings this season with an average of 34.23 and a strike rate of 148.82, including five half-centuries, the joint second most 50+ scores for the team this season. He smashed 38 fours and 22 sixes this season, the third most sixes by a LSG batter in the IPL 2025. Moreover, Markram has also taken four wickets this IPL season. 

See Also: IPL 2025: Why are Tim David and Lungi Ngidi not playing in today's LSG vs RCB clash?

Why is Aiden Markram not playing today?

Due to his national duty, Markram has left his IPL franchise and is ready to join the national team. Markram is one of the important players for South Africa, who will face the defending champions Australia in the upcoming third ICC World Test Championship Final. 

IPL 2025, LSG vs RCB: Still an important match for RCB

As LSG have already been eliminated from the tournament, there is no replacement requirement for Markram. It is still an important match for LSG, just like RCB, who are battling to secure the top-two finish in the IPL 2025 points table. Before the match, LSG are in the seventh position in the points table with 12 points in 13 games. By ending the season with a victory, LSG will finish the season in the sixth position after surpassing the IPL 2024 runners-up SunRisers Hyderabad (13 points in 14 matches).