Fast bowlers' form and fitness continue to be LSG's main worry

Where Lucknow Super Giants finished last year

With six wins in 14 games, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) finished seventh on the points table. It was a season that went off the rails in the latter half, particularly after four back-to-back losses.

What's new in 2026

International bowling options in Wanindu Hasaranga, Anrich Nortje and Mohammed Shami, but Hasaranga and Nortje could be fighting for each other's spots. Hasaranga is a likelier starter on pitches that are spin-friendly while Nortje could get a go on flatter pitches.

Shami missed IPL 2024 after an ankle surgery and had ordinary returns last season, taking six wickets in nine games for Sunrisers Hyderabad. He did find form in the 2025 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, though, where he took 16 wickets in seven games with an economy rate of 8.90. He will likely be in the first XII and LSG will hope he hits the ground running.

LSG's top four is likely to be unchanged but Josh Inglis is an option should one of Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran either lose form or get injured.

Off the field, LSG have also brought in Tom Moody as the global director of cricket, to oversee "cricket strategy" among other things. Moody is an IPL veteran, and his inputs can only add value at LSG.

Likely best XII

1 Mitchell Marsh*, 2 Aiden Markram*, 3 Nicholas Pooran*, 4 Rishabh Pant (capt, wk), 5 Ayush Badoni, 6 Abdul Samad, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga*, 8 Shahbaz Ahmed, 9 Avesh Khan, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Mayank Yadav, 12 Digvesh Rathi

*denotes overseas player

Full LSG squad

Big question

Watch out for

Pant's approach as captain and batter and his returns, especially with the bat.

Pant had a forgettable IPL 2025 where he scored 202 runs across the season, 118 of which came in the final game. He has not been in India's T20 team since 2024, which could act as an additional bit of motivation.

Pant's struggles against spin were well documented last year. He averaged 19.5 and struck at 111.42 against spin as opposed to 27.28 and 144.69 against pace. While there is the option to move up from No. 4, it is unlikely as Marsh, Markram and Pooran were outstanding as the top three last season.

Time away from the game could work in Pant's favour. He has been working with Yuvraj Singh, and LSG would need their talisman to be in top form.

Key stats

Digvesh Rathi, who made a name for himself last year, has played only five games since. He took seven wickets in five games for Delhi in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy

Since the last IPL, Pooran has averaged 34.42 across 44 innings with a fifty (or hundred) every 5.5 innings. Those numbers have been brought down by a poor SA20 stint where he made 152 runs in nine games without a fifty.

Who's out or in doubt

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