Lucknow Super Giants head into IPL 2026 under pressure after two disappointing seasons. After qualifying for the playoffs in its first two years, LSG finished seventh last season despite changes in leadership and support staff. Ahead of the 2026 season, the franchise made bold decisions in the mini-auction, revamping its squad and making a major coaching change.
LSG entered the IPL 2026 mini auction with a purse of Rs 22.95 crore and six slots to fill. They strengthened their bowling department by signing Wanindu Hasaranga and Anrich Nortje at base price, which was seen as a value buy. However, despite his limited availability during the season, their biggest spend was Rs 8.6 crore on Josh Inglis.
The franchise has retained a strong core including captain Rishabh Pant as well as Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram and Ayush Badoni. Meanwhile, LSG acquired Mohammed Shami for Rs 10 crore and traded Arjun Tendulkar while Shardul Thakur was traded out. The list released by the franchise notably includes David Miller and Ravi Bishnoi. The biggest change off the field was the change in coaching. Kane Williamson joins as strategic advisor in place of Zaheer Khan. Carl Crowe was appointed spin bowling coach, joining the experienced group led by Justin Langer, Tom Moody and Bharat Arun.
Strength
LSG's biggest strength in 2026 is the depth and experience of the team, especially in leadership and bowling. Compared to last season, the team looks more balanced. Rishabh Pant now has a full season as captain, unlike 2025, when he was still adjusting to the role.
The pace attack is very strong. Mohammed Shami, Mayank Yadav, Anrich Nortje and Mohsin Khan are set to form a lethal pace attack. Last year, injuries forced LSG to rely on backups. This season, he has many frontline options. Furthermore, the team's batting depth at the top has improved. Marsh, Markram, Pooran and Pant keep LSG in a stable top four, the consistency they lacked last year. Notably, Hasaranga also adds to the lower-order batting, compensating for some of the balance lost after releasing Ravi Bishnoi. Digvesh Rathi, who was the team's best bowler last season, will once again have the responsibility of picking up important wickets and being Lucknow's X factor in the upcoming edition.
weaknesses
Despite the improvements, LSG still lacks an experienced finisher. The release of David Miller has left a void in the death overs. Josh Inglis is not a natural finisher and will miss part of the season, making the investment of Rs 8.6 crore a worry. Their middle order is also inexperienced. Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad are once again expected to play during the crucial middle overs. Last season, LSG often collapsed after a strong start, and this risk still exists.
While the team got new faces, many of them are injured, including Nortje and Shami. Apart from him, Pant, Marsh and Mayank Yadav have all had injury problems in recent years. Last season, injuries derailed LSG's campaign and a similar pattern could be repeated.
opportunity
IPL 2026 gives LSG a chance to make a comeback after two poor seasons. With a stable captain and a new coaching setup, the franchise can finally perform the miracles of which they are highly capable. Young Indian players like Badoni, Akshat Raghuvanshi, Mukul Chaudhary and Naman Tiwari have a chance to move forward.
The bowling unit could be their strength. On fast pitches, LSG can field one of the most dangerous pace attacks in the league. There is also an opportunity for Pant to grow as a leader. With senior advisors like Williamson and Moody, his decision-making abilities could be significantly improved.
threats
The franchise has shown in the last two seasons that a strong team does not always guarantee results. If the early matches go wrong, confidence can drop rapidly, as was seen last year. Excessive dependence on foreign players is another risk. Any dip in form or availability issues could play havoc with the XI and the momentum. In particular, expectations are high after heavy investment and staff changes. Failure to reach the playoffs again would raise serious questions about the team's long-term plans.
Lucknow Super Giants team for IPL 2026
Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Aiden Markram, Matthew Bretzke, Himmat Singh, Rishabh Pant (captain), Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Akash Singh, Mohammed Shami, Arjun Tendulkar, Josh Inglis, Mukul Chaudhary, Akshat Raghuvanshi, Anrich Nortje, Wanindu Hasaranga, Naman Tiwari
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