Lucknow Super Giants enter IPL 2026 at a crossroads. After playoff appearances in their first two seasons, consecutive seventh-place finishes have left the franchise searching for an identity. With Rishabh Pant at the helm and significant bowling changes, LSG are banking on a revamped squad to rediscover early success.
Table of Contents
Where LSG Finished in IPL 2025
Six wins in 14 games left LSG seventh on the points table. The season went off the rails in the latter half, particularly after four back-to-back losses that effectively ended playoff hopes.
| LSG Recent Performance | Details |
|---|---|
| IPL 2025 | 7th (6 wins in 14 games) |
| Low point | Four consecutive losses |
| 2022-2023 | Both seasons: Playoffs |
What’s New in IPL 2026
International Bowling Reinforcements
The most significant additions are Wanindu Hasaranga, Anrich Nortje, and Mohammed Shami, though Hasaranga and Nortje will compete for the same overseas slot.
Wanindu Hasaranga is the likelier starter on spin-friendly pitches if fit and cleared. However, his fitness remains doubtful, needing a test before gaining his NOC from Sri Lanka Cricket.
Anrich Nortje adds serious pace and could feature on flatter pitches. However, accommodating him means benching Josh Inglis or Matthew Breetzke, diminishing middle-order punch.
Mohammed Shami missed IPL 2024 after ankle surgery and took just six wickets in nine games for SRH in 2025. He found form in the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, taking 16 wickets in seven games at 8.90 economy. He replaces Shardul Thakur as attack leader.
Indian Pace Fitness Boost
LSG will be chuffed about the fitness of Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan. Mayank was ruled out of IPL 2025 with back injury after two games while Mohsin missed the entire tournament. This time, Mayank, Mohsin, and Avesh Khan—who missed only one game—are all raring to go.
Naman Tiwari and Arjun Tendulkar add depth to their left-arm seamers.
Batting Continuity
LSG’s top four remains unchanged, with Marsh, Markram, and Pooran forming the backbone. Josh Inglis provides cover, though he’ll miss early games due to his April wedding. Mukul Choudhary and Akshat Raghuwanshi add backup finishing options.
Tom Moody joins as global director of cricket to oversee strategy.
Team Identity: Still Searching
In their post-KL Rahul era, Rishabh Pant is their poster boy but is struggling through an identity crisis as a white-ball player. The vibe: Infants no more, but still searching for their real self.
The sizzling powerhouse at the top—Marsh, Pooran, and Markram—drove last year’s success. No other team had bigger contributions from overseas batters. No other top three hit as many sixes. This reliance borders on unhealthy but is also their biggest strength.
Likely Best XII
- Mitchell Marsh (overseas)
- Aiden Markram (overseas)
- Nicholas Pooran (overseas)
- Rishabh Pant (c, wk)
- Ayush Badoni
- Abdul Samad
- Wanindu Hasaranga (overseas)
- Shahbaz Ahmed
- Avesh Khan
- Mohammed Shami
- Mayank Yadav
- Digvesh Rathi
This assumes Hasaranga fitness. If not, Nortje or Inglis could slot in.
Full Squad Breakdown
Batters (10)
- Rishabh Pant (c, wk) – 28 years old, left-hand bat
- Abdul Samad – 24 years old, right-hand bat, leg-spinner
- Akshat Raghuwanshi – 22 years old, right-hand bat, off-spinner
- Ayush Badoni – 25 years old, right-hand bat, off-spinner
- Matthew Breetzke – 27 years old, right-hand bat
- Mukul Choudhary – 21 years old, right-hand bat
- Himmat Singh – 29 years old, right-hand bat, off-spinner
- Josh Inglis (wk) – 30 years old, right-hand bat
- Aiden Markram – 31 years old, right-hand bat, off-spinner
- Nicholas Pooran (wk) – 30 years old, left-hand bat, off-spinner
Allrounders (4)
- Wanindu Hasaranga – 28 years old, right-hand bat, leg-spinner
- Arshin Kulkarni – 20 years old, right-hand bat, medium pacer
- Mitchell Marsh – 34 years old, right-hand bat, medium pacer
- Shahbaz Ahmed – 30 years old, left-hand bat, slow left-arm orthodox
Bowlers (11)
- Akash Singh – 23 years old, left-arm medium-fast
- Avesh Khan – 28 years old, right-arm fast-medium
- Mohammed Shami – 35 years old, right-arm fast
- Mohsin Khan – 27 years old, left-arm medium-fast
- Anrich Nortje – 31 years old, right-arm fast
- Prince Yadav – 23 years old, right-arm fast
- Digvesh Rathi – 25 years old, leg-spinner
- Manimaran Siddharth – 27 years old, slow left-arm orthodox
- Arjun Tendulkar – 26 years old, left-arm medium-fast
- Naman Tiwari – 20 years old, left-arm medium-fast
- Mayank Yadav – 23 years old, right-arm fast
Watch Out For: Rishabh Pant’s Redemption
Pant had a forgettable IPL 2025, scoring 202 runs (118 in the final game). He hasn’t been in India’s T20 team since 2024.
Pant’s struggles against spin were well-documented: he averaged 19.5 and struck at 111.42 against spin versus 27.28 and 144.69 against pace. While moving up from No. 4 is an option, it’s unlikely as Marsh, Markram, and Pooran were outstanding as the top three.
Time away and work with Yuvraj Singh could help. LSG need their talisman in top form.
What LSG Do Better Than Most: Spin Domination
In IPL 2025, LSG played spin better than anyone else. They averaged 50.7 and lost just 18 wickets to spin (the least), striking at 159.2 (the best). With a batting core that looks almost the same, this can be a great starting point for IPL 2026.
A Player That Changes Their Ceiling: Nicholas Pooran
Last year, Pooran had his best IPL season, evolving from a T20 maverick to a reliable, seasoned batter. No batter hit more sixes than him last season.
His strike rate was the third-best ever for a single season (196.2) with a 400-run cutoff, and he was terrific against spin, striking at 236.5.
Since the last IPL, Pooran has averaged 34.42 across 44 innings with a fifty (or hundred) every 5.5 innings. However, those numbers have been brought down by a poor SA20 stint where he made 152 runs in nine games without a fifty.
He hasn’t played competitively since January though, which could mean some rustiness early in the tournament.
Key Stats to Know
- Digvesh Rathi, who made a name for himself last year, has played only five games since IPL 2025. He took seven wickets in five games for Delhi in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
- Nicholas Pooran averaged 34.42 across 44 innings since the last IPL with a fifty (or hundred) every 5.5 innings, though a poor SA20 stint (152 runs in nine games without a fifty) has brought those numbers down.
What Could Trip Them Up
Bowling Balance Issues
They have only one overseas pace option (Nortje), but to accommodate him (or even Hasaranga’s spin), they will have to bench Inglis or Matthew Breetzke, which could diminish their middle-order punch.
Injury Concerns
It’s imperative there are no breakdowns in their Indian pace group. Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, and Avesh Khan were all injured for varying durations last year. Shami has drifted away from the India setup, and whether he can still be as effective remains to be seen.
Last season was a forgettable one for LSG’s seamers: their economy (10.35) was the worst amongst all teams. This could be a hit-or-miss year too.
The One to Watch: Mukul Choudhary
He may not be widely known, but his six-hitting prowess at the domestic level has generated considerable excitement. In the recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he struck at 198.85. A tall frame, clean bat-swing, and round-the-ground hitting all point towards a tantalising prospect.
At just 21 years old, Choudhary represents the kind of domestic talent LSG hope can complement their overseas stars.
Injury/Availability Watch
Wanindu Hasaranga is a doubtful starter and needs to pass a fitness test to gain his NOC from Sri Lanka Cricket. Barring him, the rest of the group has so far been immune to the injury wave afflicting other teams.
Josh Inglis will get married in early April and is likely to miss a few games. He should be available for more than half of the season, though. Will LSG miss him? Perhaps not, with three overseas players in the top four and Hasaranga or Nortje likely to be part of the bowling attack, and Pant the top pick to keep wicket.
One Game to Circle
LSG have a poor record at home since 2023, with nine wins in 22 matches. The relaid Ekana surface has proved to be tricky home terrain. Their matches against Royal Challengers Bangalore have been particularly high-voltage, and they’ve lost all four of their home games to them. You don’t want to miss out on that fixture.
The Verdict
LSG enter IPL 2026 with a fascinating mix of continuity and change. Their top-order batting remains one of the strongest in the competition, with Marsh, Markram, and Pooran forming an enviable trio. The return of Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan to full fitness, coupled with Mohammed Shami’s presence, gives their pace attack a significantly different look from last season’s disappointing showing.
However, questions remain. Can Rishabh Pant rediscover his white-ball form and grow into his captaincy role? Will the Indian pace quartet stay fit throughout the grueling tournament? Can they find the right balance between Hasaranga’s spin and Nortje’s pace without weakening their batting depth?
The addition of Tom Moody as global director of cricket suggests LSG are thinking long-term about their identity and strategy. But in the short term, they need results. Two consecutive seventh-place finishes have left them at a crossroads—either rediscover the playoff formula from 2022-2023 or risk becoming an also-ran franchise despite their star power.
With a full-strength squad and improved depth, LSG have the tools to challenge for a playoff spot. Whether they can put those tools together cohesively will define their IPL 2026 campaign.
Read More: IPL 2026: KKR Rope in Navdeep Saini as Harshit Rana Replacement Ahead of the Season
FAQs
Who are the key new additions to LSG for IPL 2026?
LSG have added international bowlers Wanindu Hasaranga (if fit), Anrich Nortje, and Mohammed Shami. Domestic additions include Naman Tiwari, Arjun Tendulkar, Mukul Choudhary, and Akshat Raghuwanshi. Tom Moody joins as global director of cricket. Most crucially, Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan return from injury.
What is LSG’s likely playing XI for IPL 2026?
The likely best XII includes: Marsh, Markram, Pooran (all overseas), Pant (c/wk), Badoni, Samad, Hasaranga (overseas), Shahbaz Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Shami, Mayank Yadav, and Digvesh Rathi. If Hasaranga isn’t fit, Nortje or Inglis could slot in.
What were LSG’s major weaknesses in IPL 2025?
LSG finished 7th with six wins in 14 games after four consecutive losses. Their pace bowling was the worst in the league with an economy rate of 10.35. Captain Rishabh Pant struggled, scoring just 202 runs (118 in the final game alone) and averaged only 19.5 against spin.
Which LSG player could be the game-changer in IPL 2026?
Nicholas Pooran. He had his best IPL season in 2025 with the third-best strike rate ever for a single season (196.2) and hit more sixes than anyone. He struck at 236.5 against spin and averaged 34.42 across 44 innings since the last IPL.
What injury or availability concerns does LSG have?
Wanindu Hasaranga is doubtful and needs a fitness test for his NOC from Sri Lanka Cricket. Josh Inglis will miss early games due to his wedding in April but should be available for most of the season. The rest of the squad is currently fit, unlike last season when Mayank, Mohsin, and Avesh all had injury issues.
