The team finished at the seventh place last season, with six wins.
If we were to rate the performances for each franchise at the latest Indian Premier League mini auction, the Lucknow Super Giants would be somewhere in the middle. The LSG IPL 2026 squad looks decent on paper, but there is a possibility of some loopholes emerging in the middle of the season. The Rishabh Pant-led franchise acquired Mohammed Shami and Arjun Tendulkar in the trade window ahead of the mini-auction in Abu Dhabi.
Anrich Nortje, Wanindu Hasaranga, and Josh Inglis were three of the biggest names who were bought in the auction by Lucknow Super Giants. There has been considerable discussion around the availability of Inglis, particularly after the Punjab Kings released him early due to unavailability issues. Apart from that, the LSG IPL 2026 squad looks good on paper. But there can be problems that can build up in the middle of the two-month tournament.
Here’s all you need to know about the strengths, weaknesses, and the best possible playing XI from the LSG IPL 2026 squad, ahead of the 19th edition of the cash-rich league.
Full LSG IPL 2026 Squad
Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Ayush Badoni, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahmad, Arshin Kulkarni, Avesh Khan, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Mohammed Shami, Arjun Tendulkar, Wanindu Hasaranga, Anrich Nortje, Mukul Choudhary, Naman Tiwari, Akshat Raghuwanshi, and Josh Inglis.
Lucknow Super Giants Strongest Playing XI
- Mitchell Marsh ✈️
- Aiden Markram ✈️
- Nicholas Pooran ✈️
- Rishabh Pant
- Ayush Badoni
- Abdul Samad
- Anrich Nortje ✈️
- Digvesh Rathi
- Mohammed Shami
- Avesh Khan
- Mayank Yadav
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LSG IPL 2026 Squad Strengths
- Lucknow Super Giants were fuelled by superb opening partnerships in the last edition, where they finished seventh on the points table with six wins. The fact that they retained both Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh for the next season is an indication that they will look to continue with power-striking at the top of the order.
- Another strength for the Lucknow Super Giants is the depth in their pace battery, but it comes with a condition. The Rishabh Pant-led team has eight speedsters in the LSG IPL 2026 squad. However, it is an uphill task for the physios to keep them fit throughout the season. If they manage to do that, the LSG bowling unit can rattle a few batting orders.
- Having traded Mohammed Shami ahead of the mini-auction, the franchise have a experienced campaigner to bowl in the powerplay, alongside the likes of Anrich Nortje. Moreover, they also have Avesh Khan, someone who can pin his yorkers at the death.
LSG IPL 2026 Squad Weaknesses
- A primary weakness or threat in the LSG IPL 2026 squad is the lack of power-hitters in the line-up. Apart from an experienced top-order, the franchise lacks power down the order. They have the services of Matthew Breetzke, but including him in the playing XI might come across as a challenge. This is why they should have gone hard for Liam Livingstone in the mini auction.
- Bowlers like Anrich Nortje and Mayank Yadav are prone to injuries. With the tournament being more than two months long, their fitness would be a huge challenge.
- The depth in spin bowling might spark a lot of doubts as well. Shahbaz Ahmed, Digvesh Rathi, and Manimaran Siddharth are the three spinners, with Aiden Markram, who can roll his arm over. However, the franchise is one quality spinner short. The management finished the auction with INR 4.55 crore in the bank, and they could have done better.
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