Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) is preparing for some shocking moves ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. They have the plan to prepare a spin fortress to solidify their bowling line-up. For that, LSG can go heavily for well-established spinners of Indian cricket. 

There are multiple speculations about the IPL 2026 team-building process. Before the fresh season of the Indian Premier League, multiple franchises are reportedly looking for some big names to improve their performances on the field. LSG sustained back-to-back disappointing seasons despite spending a good amount of money. 

According to the latest claims, Lucknow Super Giants are keenly interested in two Delhi Capitals spinners—Axar Patel and Kuldeep Singh. If the claims are to be believed, then LSG is trying to secure the service of either Kuldeep or Axar. To make the deal possible, LSG is ready to trade players except Rishabh Pant, Mitchell Marsh, and Nicholas Pooran. 

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Why is LSG interested in bringing a world-class spinner into their squad ahead of IPL 2026?

In the previous season, LSG's quality spin bowling options were very limited. On a regular basis, they had to rely on Ravi Bishnoi and Digvesh Rathi. Both are promising spinners but not yet established at the highest level of cricket. Rathi, undoubtedly an exciting talent to watch, has the ability to take wickets, but his on-field aggression and gestures often overshadow his bowling skills. 

IPL 2025 was a very disappointing season for LSG despite getting Rishabh Pant on board. They finished the campaign at the seventh spot of the point table with 12 points. After playing 14 matches, they secured only 6 wins and 8 defeats.

KL Rahul has slowly started to cement his place in the national side in the ODI and Test formats. The right-handed batter, featuring for the Delhi Capitals in the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), was in excellent touch. He smashed 539 runs in 13 innings at an average of nearly 54 and a strike rate of around 150, scoring three half-centuries and one century at the best score of unbeaten 112 runs. 

The IPL 2026 trade season has already gained momentum as the franchises look to get their wish. Among the rumors, it has been reported that the three-time IPL champions, Kolkata Knight Riders, are keen to get Rahul in the next edition of the tournament.

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The trade window is currently open and will remain active for nearly a week before the start of the next auction. The TOI journalist has revealed that the Knight Riders are interested in bringing Rahul on board. The Karnataka batter can contribute to the team as a top-order wicket-keeper and captain, an individual for whom they struggled immensely last year.

Kolkata Knight Riders wish to sign KL Rahul ahead of IPL 2026 auction- reports

It has been revealed that the Knight Riders are so keen to bring Rahul into the squad that they are ready even to leave out the veteran pace bowling all-rounder from the West Indies, Andre Russell, for the new season. That displays the value that a veteran brings to the table in the IPL.

Since the start of the 2018 season of the IPL, the 33-year-old has crossed the 550-run mark in every single season apart from 2023, when he was ruled out for most of the season due to injury, having notched up 274 runs in nine innings at an average of 34.75 and a strike rate of 113.22 with two fifties.

If Rahul comes into the KKR side, that means they may leave out Ajinkya Rahane ahead of the next season. They will also look to leave a few more players before the mini auction to get a huge chunk of the purse back in the bank.

Australia pacer Mitchell Starc can be released by Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2026 auction, as it was reported. Furthermore, there are multiple claims, indicating multiple IPL franchises can show interest in the star pacer, including Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

According to the latest claims on social media, LSG owner Sanjeev Goenka has a deep interest in the speed star, and he can take a vital role in deciding Starc's IPL future. Other than LSG, several other clubs may have interest in bringing in the fast bowler. 

Media reports suggested that Delhi Capitals is all set to release Mitchell Starc. Last season, his performance was not enough to match the expectations of him. There were instances of his bowling brilliance, but that was not in a consistent manner. Expectations were naturally high for a world-class bowler like him. In 11 IPL 2025 matches for Delhi Capitals, he took 14 wickets at an expensive economy rate of 10.16, which clearly did not live up to the expectations. 

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Mitchell Starc can join Delhi Capitals for IPL 2026

Delhi Capitals started off the IPL 2025 strongly but soon struggled to maintain the momentum. They were one of the favorites to qualify for the round of four as well. But because of the lack of consistency, they were unable to get a ticket to the next round. DC concluded the season as the 5th team of the points table with 7 wins in 14 matches. 

On the other side, Lucknow Super Giants built a strong, well-rounded team on paper. Because of the multiple injury crisis, they lacked in their bowling department. They managed to register only 6 wins in 14 matches and finished the season as the seventh team of the points table. Apart from repeated setbacks in back-to-back seasons, they have enough reason to spend a big chunk of money for a proven bowler like Mitchell Starc.

Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction, another shocking report related to Sanju Samson has arrived. After some possible linkups with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), another IPL franchise might have joined the race to secure the service of the prolific keeper-batter. 

Rajasthan Royals has been going through a transition phase after the exit of Rahul Dravid ahead of the IPL 2026 season. They recorded one of the lowest numbers of wins in the previous Indian Premier League season. According to several reports, Sanju Samson requested the franchise officials to release him before the auction. He was the captain of Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2025 but was not able to perform in a continuous manner because of repeated injuries. 

Early in the season he played some high‐impact knocks, scoring 66 off 37 balls vs Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opener. But his projected impact gradually slowed down as the season progressed. In 9 games, scored 285 runs at an average of about 35.62 and a strike rate around 140.39, including one half-century. As a captain of the franchise, his overall record is promising enough. Since 2021, Samson has guided the team in 60 matches with 31 wins, 28 losses, and 1 no result. 

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Samson to join Delhi Capitals for IPL 2026?

According to a recent development, the Delhi Capitals are in the fray to rope in Sanju Samson. Taking a step further, recent reports suggested that the Delhi-based franchise is set to offer Samson the role of captaincy of the IPL 2026 season.

Last season, under the leadership of Axar Patel and supported by KL Rahul's excellent batting, Delhi Capitals started off their campaign nicely. But due to lack of consistency, they missed the opportunity to qualify for the round of four and ended as the 5th team of the IPL 2025 points table. 

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) has already started their preparations for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). Last season, they registered their poorest numbers in the points tally. They managed to win only 4 wins in their 14 matches and finished last on the table.

The multi-time IPL champion franchise is desperate to change things ahead of the new season. Hints about their future plans were reflected during last season's midway, when they signed young stars like Dewald Brevis and Ayush Mhatre. Within a short amount of time, those two young stars left their marks with positive impacts.

Along with recruiting fresh talents, CSK management has to think about the replacement for their legendary cricketer MS Dhoni. Who will be the man who can replace Dhoni? According to the latest media report, Chennai Super Kings can show interest in KL Rahul. The media report further claims that Rahul can try his luck in the mini auction.

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CSK to cash in for KL Rahul?

Last year, CSK was engaged in an intense bidding war with Delhi Capitals to rope in the keeper-batter; ultimately, it was Delhi Capitals who pulled up the paddle of the highest bid, which was Rs 14 crore, while the Yellow Brigade was second in the bidding process with Rs 13.75 crore. There were multiple claims on social media that CSK might be departing to cash in for Sanju Samson. But as of now, the deal is looking unlikely to happen. 

IPL 2025 was impressive for KL Rahul from an individual standpoint. He was the top run scorer for the Delhi-based franchise. The top-order batter accumulated 539 runs in 13 innings at an average of 53.9 and a strike rate of 149.72.

The internet has been buzzing with the news of Axar Patel, who is likely to be sacked as the captain of the Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of the IPL 2026 season. Although the franchise has shown signs of retaining the spin bowling all-rounder, the possibility of him continuing as the DC skipper appears slim.

In such a scenario, the Delhi-based outfit may be compelled to explore alternative captaincy options in the form of Faf du Plessis, KL Rahul, and Tristan Stubbs. In this article, we will look at the top three captaincy candidates who are likely to fill Axar's shoes ahead of the next IPL season. 

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Faf du Plessis

The veteran Proteas batter has a wealth of experience in competing in various franchise leagues around the world. In addition, the 41-year-old has led several notable franchises to success. He was appointed as RCB's skipper in 2022 and captained them for two years before stepping down. Under him, the Bangalore-based outfit made it to the 2024 playoffs. Elsewhere outside the IPL, Faf also endured a successful stint in the CPL by taking St Lucia Kings to their maiden CPL title win in 2024. Apart from CPL, the South African veteran also experienced a stellar run in MLC 2025. Leading the Texas Super Kings, Faf powdered the opposition with multiple centuries and took his side to a commanding position in the league.

Add to that, the South African southpaw has also captained the Proteas at the international level, leading his side in all three formats. Earlier in the IPL 2024 season, Faf served as a deputy to Axar. Faf's experience will be quite invaluable, and being the vice-captain of the team, he looks like the strongest contender to become the next captain of the Delhi Capitals ahead of the upcoming IPL season. 

KL Rahul

Indian all-format specialist batter KL Rahul is another formidable cricketing personality who can take over the captaincy baton from Axar ahead of the 19th IPL edition. Rahul is blessed with some strong captaincy credentials at his disposal. The Bangalore-based batter has so far captained two IPL franchises to this day—PBKS & LSG. His captaincy journey in the IPL began in 2020 with PBKS. Though PBKS struggled to make it to the top four, Rahul did not allow the burden of captaincy to affect his natural game. He finished the 2020 season as the highest run scorer with 670 runs to his name and slammed his best score of 132*, which was, at that time, the highest by an Indian in the IPL.

Then, in 2022, he switched his allegiance to LSG. Although he was ruled out midway through the 2023 season, Rahul was able to make a comeback a year later. However, LSG failed to deliver a promising performance under his leadership and crashed out prematurely from IPL 2024. Sanjiv Goenka, the owner of LSG, was visibly vexed to see the results, and Rahul was eventually sidelined from the squad ahead of IPL 2025. Although at first, Rahul declined to take over DC's captaincy ahead of the 2025 season, experts suggest he could change his mind as the next season looms large.

Tristan Stubbs

Tristan Stubbs, unlike his earlier predecessors, has age on his side. The South African batting all-rounder is currently in the midst of navigating the early phase of his IPL career. Although Stubbs has no credible captaincy experience under his belt, he is well known for being a key performer and a highly versatile player. Moreover, the Delhi Capitals assistant coach even went as far as describing him as a “player for the next five years”, thereby underscoring his growing importance to the team. His adaptability, backing himself in high-pressure moments, and tactical awareness have drawn praise, though always as a player and not as a leader. 

At age 25, and with growing visibility, leadership opportunities might not be far off if he continues on this trajectory. The combination of explosive batting, athleticism, and significant on-field contributions that he consistently showcases during crucial moments of a match may entice the DC management to move away from seasoned players and invest in the promising young all-rounder.

Delhi Capitals (DC), just before the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), decided to appoint the left-arm Indian spin all-rounder, Axar Patel, as the new leader of the side. The veteran has been a crucial member of the franchise in balancing the squad and team selection with his four overs of bowling and the batting ability at the lower or middle order of the line-up.

Under Axar Patel’s leadership, Delhi finished in the fifth position in the points table. They won seven encounters out of 14 games at a net run rate of +0.011. It was a bizarre season for the franchise, which started its event with five wins in the first six games before facing four defeats in the five games towards the business end of the competition.

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Axar clubbed 263 runs at a strike rate of 157.48 in 11 innings of the IPL 2025, with the best score of 43 runs. Along with that, he picked up just five wickets in 11 innings at an average of 57.60 and an economy rate of 8.47, with the best bowling figure of 2/19 in an innings.

Delhi Capitals likely to search for new captain to replace Axar Patel

The Capitals had several experienced players in the side, including the former two captains from the league, Faf du Plessis and KL Rahul. The latter contributed immensely with the bat, having accumulated 539 runs in 13 innings of the IPL 2025 at an average of 53.60 and a strike rate of 149.72, with three half-centuries and one century.

Axar was decent in the job, but to expect batting, bowling, and fielding at the grey areas of the ground, and then to lead the side was an external job for the left-arm spinner. On the other hand, Rahul could be an option, having crossed the 500-run mark in the last eight seasons of the event apart from 2023.

Faf can also be an option in this department. However, fitness could be a concern for the former Protea batter, who missed a big chunk of the previous season of the event due to injury. Else, they can look for some other batter for the position, which is unlikely to happen. 

Delhi Capitals (DC) star Sameer Rizvi marked Chennai Super Kings (CSK) icon MS Dhoni as one of the greatest T20 finishers, among a few other greats of the format. Rizvi did a challenging blindfold task of ranking six legends including MS Dhoni in the format as finishers.

Without any hesitation, the young batter put Dhoni right on the top of the list. Other than the former India skipper, de Villiers, Michael Hussey, Jos Buttler, Kieron Pollard, and Michael Bevan were the contenders. After marking Dhoni as the best finisher of T20, Rizvi placed Pollard, Villiers, Hussey, Buttler, and Bevan in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th positions, respectively.

Due to the Indian Premier League (IPL), like many emerging cricketers, Sameer Rizvi also got a chance to share a dressing room with some of the big names of the game. CSK was Rizvi's first IPL team in his career. During the IPL 2024, he played a few matches for the multi-time IPL-winning franchise. Then, he got the chance to share some moments with Dhoni. Moments with the legendary keeper-batter were priceless for the Meerut-born cricketer. Sharing a conversation with the former India skipper, Rizvi said that Dhoni advised him to keep his nerves cool under pressure situations.

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Dhoni supported Rizvi off the field 

"He has always supported me off the field, especially on the mental side. He always tells us to stay calm in high-pressure situations and take deep breaths for 5–6 seconds, which will help us relax and think in a better way," Rizvi said. 

The emerging cricketer played 8 matches for CSK in IPL 2025, scoring only 51 runs at an average of 12.75. Ahead of the mega auction, CSK did not retain him, and Rizvi joined Delhi Capitals for IPL 2025, where he scored 121 runs at an average of over 40 and a strike rate of 153.16 in 5 matches. 

Afghanistan international Gulbadin Naib shared some amazing information about Rishabh Pant. Due to the Indian Premier League (IPL), overseas players got the chance to closely monitor top-notch Indian talents. Gulbadin was one of those foreign cricketers who shared a dressing room with top-tier Indian cricket talents. The Afghan all-rounder recently recalled his days with Rishabh Pant.

Naib, with pure admiration, praised the star keeper-batter. It is widely known that Afghanistan and Indian cricket shared a close bond with each other; Naid is no exception. When he was in Delhi Capitals (DC) with Rishabh Pant, he came to know more about Indians and Indian psychology.

Pant is often criticized for his reckless batting style, and as a captain, his IPL record is not something close to cheerable. But sometimes only matching results or numbers are not enough to explain someone's hard work. Rishabh Pant can be one of the prime examples of that. Naid said that off the field, the keeper-batter used to think a lot during their days with Delhi Capitals. Taking a step further, the Afghan star called Pant a mastermind.

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A mastermind: Gulbadin Naib

"Rishabh Pant is a mastermind. He thinks a lot. His approach is very different. I was with him at Delhi Capitals, right? When you stay close to Indians and watch movies and stuff, you get some idea of these things," Gulbadin Naib said. 

Naib was with DC during the 2024 Indian Premier League. It was the last season for Pant with the Delhi-based franchise before shifting his baggage to Lucknow Super Giants. Despite the severe car accident in 2022, Pant’s return to cricket in 2024 was nothing short of remarkable. Though he struggled to find his rhythm during the campaign. But, ahead of the next season (IPL 2025), Lucknow roped him in for an astonishing amount of INR 27 crores. 

The young leg spinner of the Delhi Capitals, Vipraj Nigam, was around some of the global superstars in the dressing room during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025. And one of them was KL Rahul, the current Indian opening batter, who came into the franchise in the recent season, shifting his base from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

Vipraj, during a recent conversation with CricXtasy, revealed that KL Rahul was an incredible human being off the field. He looked back at the special knock of the Karnataka-born when he smashed an unbeaten 93 runs in 53 balls to carry them over the line and dropped a savage celebration.

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“Perfect player, especially the innings in Bengaluru and the way he celebrated. He scored a century in Delhi. If you see the entire IPL, in every single IPL game, he would play such shots that seemed to be going on repeat. As a human being, he was very normal, like speaking to us and sitting with us. It never felt like you were sitting with KL Rahul. It never felt like that, whether at the dinner table or breakfast.” Nigam expressed during the podcast.

Watch: Vipraj Nigam describes KL Rahul’s nature during IPL 2025

The 21-year-old leg spinner, who picked up 11 wickets and thumped 142 runs at a strike rate of 179.14, looked back at the moment when Rahul gave him and his friends special treatment while clicking a few pictures with them.

The way Vipraj Nigam described KL Rahul's nature in this interview proves why so many people admire KL Rahul so much as a player and a human being. ❤️🥺🫶pic.twitter.com/WXCFgnk0u7

— KLR (@KLRNation1) August 6, 2025

“In Delhi, a few of my friends came, who insisted on clicking a few photos with KL bhai. So I hesitated to speak it straightaway. Then I texted him on WhatsApp if he could take time and click a few pictures. And he asked me to come to the breakfast table. So, everyone went there and clicked the pictures.” Vipraj Nigam added to the podcast.

A few reports have claimed that Rahul could shift his IPL base from Delhi for the next IPL season. It has been revealed that the Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings are in discussions with the veteran. He had a fantastic campaign in 2025, collecting 539 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of nearly 150 with three fifties and one half-century.