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Top-heavy LSG with plenty of holes to fill in IPL 2026 auction as Rishabh Pant aims to bring Lucknow inaugural success
2025 was a year of frustration for Lucknow Super Giants after splashing the cash, and careful auction planning is crucial for an undercooked squad.
Entering their fifth year as an IPL franchise, Lucknow Super Giants haven’t been afraid to splash the big bucks and pack their team with incredible power-hitting for the ongoing IPL cycle. As fearsome a top four as any in the history of the IPL, there is no doubt that if they go on a winning streak, this is a team capable of going all the way – but work needs to be done to ensure they have a well-rounded squad that can maintain consistency.
Rishabh Pant’s unit will rely a lot on players achieving form at the right time, as well as the fitness of a brittle bowling unit. But with big gaps in their squad and INR 22.95 crore to work with, care and precision will be needed in the auction with 6 slots left in their squad.
What LSG’s squad looks like before the auction
So after a relatively busy trade window, there is an interesting look to this LSG squad. The top four writes itself: Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh continue to go from strength to strength, and will open the batting with Matthew Breetzke in the wings. Nicholas Pooran is a player with MVP potential if he can find consistency, and the only way for Rishabh Pant to go in an LSG shirt is up.
The middle order is a little bare. Having released David Miller, LSG only have access to Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad as hitters later in the innings. The lack of a true all-rounder is also clear, especially with Marsh not bowling. These two roles will be key targets.
In the bowling, releasing Ravi Bishnoi means an extra spinner to support Digvesh Rathi will be key. They added to the seam bowling ranks with Mohammed Shami, but between him, Mayank Yadav, and Mohsin Khan all being injury prone, plenty of cover will be needed.
Key players LSG might target in the auction
1. Wanindu Hasaranga
In need of a spinner and someone to add some power with the bat, Wanindu Hasaranga at his best could shoot down two birds with one stone for LSG. The best spin-bowling all-round option in the mini-auction, he might be the primary option for the team, but will cost a pretty penny with the teams vying for his signature.
An alternative could be Cooper Connolly, who shows a lot of promise and could slot in at number five or six, and provide quality part-time spin alongside Markram.
2. Rahul Chahar
A more budget option as a leg-spinner could be Rahul Chahar, who hasn’t seen a lot of playing time in recent IPL seasons. As a defensive-oriented spinner, Chahar could form an interesting tandem with the more wicket-taking Rathi. With their spin bowling having been hit around the park in 2025, a defensive-minded specialist might be the answer LSG need.
3. Abhinav Manohar
With domestic batting needed to shore up the lower-middle order, Abhinav Manohar will be on the radar for a lot of teams – but no team needs him more than LSG. Indian lower-order hitting comes at a premium in the IPL, and Manohar leads the ranks in the mini-auction.
4. Ravi Singh
An interesting alternative option for that finishing role could be Ravi Singh, who has shone for Railways in the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. Why LSG might be interested in him is because of the successes he has had while playing at the Ekana Stadium in this tournament: he scored 68*(38) in a last-over chase vs Vidarbha, and has one of the highest strike-rates in the tournament for players with as many runs.
5. Mustafizur Rahman
LSG have a lot of Indian seam bowlers, but the issue is the majority are right-handed and not particularly suited to the death. With Spencer Johnson struggling with injury, the best international left-handed talent might be the Fizz, who could be well-suited to the big boundaries and grippy surfaces at the Ekana. His control at the death could prove crucial.
LSG squad before IPL 2026 auction
Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, M Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Akash Singh, Mohammad Shami, Arjun Tendulkar
