Lucknow Super Giants were concentrating on strengthening their team at the mini-auction for the IPL 2026 season by adding more strenght to their bowling department. They also made some crucial signings in the mini-auction, which include Wanindu Hasaranga and Anrich Nortje, both purchased for ₹2 crores at the base price of the players. 

LSG’s biggest buy at the auction was Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, for whom the team spent ₹8.6 crore. Inglis adds power and flexibility to the batting order. The franchise also invested in young Indian talent by signing uncapped Madhya Pradesh batter Akshat Raghuvanshi for ₹2.2 crore. These moves show LSG’s plan to build a stronger and more balanced squad.

The last two years have been unsatisfactory for Lucknow Super Giants. In IPL 2025, LSG finished seventh with many changes in their lineup. Rishabh Pant replaced KL Rahul as their team captain, and Zaheer Khan joined as a team mentor. Prior to the IPL 2026 auction, many important players of LSG were released, including Ravi Bishnoi, Akash Deep, and David Miller. Along with this, Shardul Thakur was traded for a deal with Mumbai Indians, and Mohammad Shami and Arjun Tendulkar were also acquired by trade.

See Also: IPL Auction 2026: Full squad and new bought players for Sunrisers Hyderabad

Lucknow Super Giants Bought Players at IPL 2026 Auction

Josh Inglis (₹8.6 crore), Mukul Choudhary (₹2.6 crore), Akshat Raghuvanshi (₹2.2 crore), Anrich Nortje (₹2.2 crore), Wanindu Hasaranga (₹2 crore), Naman Tiwary (₹1 crore).

Lucknow Super Giants Full Squad for IPL 2026

Nicholas Pooran, Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, M Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Akash Singh, Josh Inglis, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuvanshi, Anrich Nortje, Wanindu Hasaranga, Naman Tiwary.

November 24, 2024—the date entered into the record book as soon as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) roped in Rishabh Pant after an aggressive bidding war. LSG secured the service of Pant for a record amount, for INR 27 crore. Who would have thought that the swashbuckling keeper-batter was going to fetch INR 27 Cr from the mega auction ahead of IPL 2025?

The mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, witnessed some of the most expensive buys in the history of the cash-rich league. Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, and Yuzvendra Chahal—apart from Pant, these are cricketers who got a record amount of bids from the auction table. All-rounder Venkatesh Iyer returned to Kolkata Knight Riders for 23.75, and batter Shreyas Iyer went to Punjab Kings for Rs 26.75 crore minutes before Pant broke his payday record. Chahal joined the Punjab-based franchise for INR 18 crore.

LSG was in search of a new skipper as a replacement for KL Rahul. KL Rahul was their captain in the season before the mega. But the ambitious franchise was visibly not happy with his performance. Before the mega auction, it was obvious that LSG was going to make some heavy bids for a star player. It was also assumed that Pant could get a handsome paycheck. But how much? That was the question.

Read More: Watch: Ayush Mhatre asking Rohit Sharma how to play pull shot

Record-breaking bid for Rishabh Pant

Punjab Kings, who also had a fat purse, was eager to get the keeper-batter. In the end, LSG sought the highest amount for him. Another interesting thing in the auction was that the top 5 buys were Indian cricketers, not overseas candidates. Before, it was the foreign talents who mostly received the most lucrative deals.

Rishabh (INR 27,00,00,000), Venkatesh (INR 23,75,00,000), Shreyas (INR 26,75,00,000), Arshdeep Singh (INR 18,00,00,000, PBKS used RTM), and Chahal (INR 18,00,00,000) broke the jinx.  

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) made a surprising trade ahead of the IPL 2026 season. They traded in Mohammed Shami, who was sidelined for a long time due to injury but has not been bowling well with Bengal in the 2025 Ranji Trophy, from Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). IPL 2025 was not among the best for the experienced pacer, but still, LSG showed trust in him.

Ahead of the upcoming season, Shami is spotted with another LSG pacer, Mohsin Khan, during practice. It is reported that Khan is preparing under Shami's guidance. A recently shared video on social media showed how the talented pacer is taking advice from Shami. In the video, Shami is seen padded up, probably doing some batting to train the latter. 

Mohsin Khan has been a part of the LSG squad since IPL 2022. He was marked as one of the most talented fast bowlers from the Indian domestic cricket arena. Because of injury issues, he had to spend a good amount of time out of action. Injury forced him to miss the entire IPL 2025 season as well.  

Read More: Rajasthan Royals mull over new home venue ahead of IPL 2026

Mohsin Khan training under Mohammed Shami's observation

Mohsin Khan is currently training in Amroha under the guidance of Lucknow Super Giants fast-bowler Mohammed Shami.
He has started bowling again, with Shami personally mentoring and guiding him through the sessions. pic.twitter.com/WYwpmlgQ30

— HARSHIT 🕷 (@I_am_Harshit_17) November 22, 2025

Before the IPL 2025 season, the left-handed seamer sustained an ACL injury that kept him off the field for months. LSG bought in Shardul Thakur to replace the injured bowler. Despite the injury, the team management retained Khan for the upcoming season as well.

List of retained players by LSG ahead of IPL 2026:

Batters: Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Abdul Samad, Himmat Singh, and Matthew Breetzke. 

Bowlers: Digvesh Rathi, Avesh Khan, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, M Siddharth, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, Mohammad Shami (traded in), and Arjun Tendulkar (traded in).

All-rounders: Shahbaz Ahamad, Arshin Kulkarni, and Ayush Badoni. 

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. 

Read More: From Asia Cup 2025 chaos to total overhaul — PCB takes bold step

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.

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have taken a clever and pragmatic step ahead of IPL 2026 by appointing New Zealand’s former captain, Kane Williamson, as the adviser for the team. Williamson, known for his calm mannerism and highly collected cricketing brain, is anticipated to help with the team's strategy, match preparation, and tactical decisions throughout the game. Williamson's experience in international cricket provides strong insight into how LSG can carve out advantages at crucial moments for LSG to gain an edge over its opponents.

With Rishabh Pant's captaincy, the team will be trying to create a mix of young talent and experience. Williamson will be another layer of guidance for the younger players to learn from, particularly in his batting style, leadership, and how to deal with pressure. Fans have expressed anticipation to see Williamson's impact on the tactical conversations, which may affect LSG's performance in a competitive environment that will be IPL 2026.

Williamson's support staff will also add to the team. Justin Langer operates as the head coach, Bharat Arun continues as bowling coach, and Lance Klusener operates as assistant coach. Collectively, they make for an extremely strong coaching panel, which should assist LSG with focused preparation, too, with in-game management decisions and team performance throughout the tournament. 

🚨 LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS 2026 🚨 [RevSportz]

Coach - Justin Langer
Strategic Adviser - Kane Williamson
Bowling Coach - Bharat Arun
Assistant Coach - Lance Klusener

Kane Williamson will bring lots of experience to the team led by Rishabh Pant. 👌 pic.twitter.com/2aPYJ8gzIc

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) October 16, 2025

See Also: ‘I Don't Even Know Who He Is…’- Ex-ICC umpire criticizes Mohsin Naqvi over Asia Cup trophy controversy

Williamson’s Role and Impact on LSG

Kane Williamson will be the adviser of the team, and his major contribution will come with regard to strategy and player development. He will work closely with Rishabh Pant with regard to game plans, opposition analytics, acknowledging strengths and weaknesses, and providing real-time support during matches. Due to Williamson's experience in international cricket tournaments, he will help to influence the young players and the team regarding calmness under pressure and decision-making in case of close match situations.

Off the field, Williamson is expected to assist in player development by mentoring the younger players on technique, mental toughness, and consistency. His role will see benefits across the team, for the present and going forward, along with LSG being a genuine title threat for IPL 2026.

Ayush Badoni has been appointed to lead Delhi cricket for the 2025-26 domestic season, marking a departure from senior players to a youth strategy for the capital. The 25-year-old all-rounder, who has already captured public attention in the IPL as a player for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), is now tasked with the expectations of performing as the team's captain. 

Badoni has evolved as a player over a long period of time, rather than suddenly making an impact. A product of the Delhi cricket system and a student of the late Tarak Sinha (who coached Rishabh Pant and Shikhar Dhawan among others), Badoni came to the attention as a player more broadly known by the public in the spotlight during the India U-19 Asia Cup win in 2018. Badoni made his senior team debut during the 2020-21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. However, the IPL is really where Badoni was put on the national map, when LSG signed him for his base price of INR 20 lakh; Badoni made his impact right away in IPL debut with a 54. Since then, Badoni has developed into a dependable finish, scoring 963 runs in 56 IPL matches, while being retained by LSG for INR 4 crore prior to the mega auction in 2025.

Kohli's Support, Young Presence Signals New Phase

Delhi's faith in Badoni's leadership is shaped by his superb displays last season in the Ranji Trophy. He took over leadership in the middle of the season and responded with an extraordinary unbeaten 205 against Jharkhand – his first double century – and was also able to provide some valuable overs of off-spin, proving his worth as a genuine all-rounder. 

ALSO SEE: ‘Not consistent in IPL and…’- Abhishek Sharma reveals Yuvraj Singh’s advice inspired him

Virat Kohli's stamp of approval is certainly the icing on the cake. Earlier this year, when asked if he would like to lead Delhi again during his domestic return, he rejected the idea and suggested that Badoni should continue. He even worked with him in the nets, signaling his faith in his leadership potential going forward.

The coming season, which will kick off with the Duleep Trophy on August 28, will place him alongside heavyweights such as Mumbai and Karnataka. He has a young core of players, including Anuj Rawat and Sumit Mathur, and a slight possibility here and again of Kohli playing, and Badoni's next challenge is to add aggression and continuity to Delhi's campaign.

From U-19 star to IPL star to now leading Delhi, Badoni's journey is a sign of the evolution of Indian cricket. Whether or not Badoni has what it takes to lead Delhi to silverware will remain to be seen, his appointment certainly brings a buzz of excitement to the upcoming domestic season.

In a surprising development, Zaheer Khan decided to part ways with the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). He served the team for one season and decided to leave the job ahead of IPL 2026.

The former India pacer was appointed as the mentor of the team before the 2025 season league when Lucknow Super Giants was unable to qualify for the knockout phase. The future of Zaheer in IPL, as of now, is surrounded by uncertainty. The reason behind his departure from LSG—that too is not anywhere mentioned officially, but according to a report published by ESPNcricinfo, "The main reason for Zaheer quitting, it is understood, is that his vision for the franchise did not align with that of head coach Justin Langer and team owner Sanjeev Goenka."

It is further claimed that in the franchise, there could be multiple theories, which ultimately let the team down. Lucknow Super Giants captured the headlines when they spent a record-breaking INR 27 crore only to secure the service of Rishabh Pant. Rishabh came in place of KL Rahul, who left the team before IPL 2025. LSG started their IPL 2025 campaign on a high note but eventually lost their momentum and crashed out of the playoff contention.

Read More: Statement-making hundred for Dhruv Jurel ahead of India vs West Indies Test series

Zaheer Khan's shocking decision ahead of IPL 2026

In the first eight matches of IPL 2025, LSG had five wins, but they managed just one more win in their last six games. They concluded the season as the seventh team of the points table with six wins, which played a role behind the move. Though, there is no such clarity in the theory.

It will be interesting to see whether the former India cricketer finds his next destination in the league before the upcoming season. On the other side, after repeated failures and controversies around the club, how the LSG franchise will prepare themselves for another season will be interesting to see. 

Ayush Badoni started off his Duleep Trophy 2025 campaign with a well-crafted half-century. Against the East Zone team, Badoni played his fifty-plus innings for the North Zone.

The 25-year-old batter completed his 50 in 49 balls with five 4s. Badoni, who is known for his aggressive batting approach, synchronized today's (August 28, 2025) innings with a calm and composed manner. He could have converted his half century into a big score, but Mukhtar Hussain did not let that happen. Hussain picked up Badoni's wicket when he was batting with 63 runs. The right-handed batter departed, scoring 63 after facing 60 balls. With 7 fours, his strike rate was slightly over 105.

Ayush created two notable partnerships for the North Zone. With Yashasvi Dhull, he stitched a partnership of 67 runs, and with Nishant Sindhu, the partnership was for 61 runs. 

Read More: 3 reasons why Keacy Carty can be good fit for Knight Riders in IPL as well

Ayush Badoni 50 runs in 49 balls (5x4, 0x6) North Zone 164/3 #NZvEZ #DuleepTrophy #QF1 Scorecard:https://t.co/61CVsuVZZT

— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) August 28, 2025

After a promising IPL 2025 season with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), the ongoing Duleep Trophy is an appropriate stage for him to shine. With LSG, Delhi-born in 11 innings, scored 329 runs at an average of 32.90, including a highest score of 74. During the match against Punjab Kings, the emerging batter got the 74-run knock. Before that, against Rajasthan Royals, Badoni struck a 50-run innings in the previous season of the Indian Premier League. 

North Zone vs East Zone Playing XI:

East Zone XI: Utkarsh Singh, Sharandeep Singh, Virat Singh, Riyan Parag (c), Kumar Kushagra (w), Sridam Paul, Suraj Sindhu Jaiswal, Mukhtar Hussain, Mohammed Shami, Manishi, Mukesh Kumar. 

North Zone XI: Shubham Khajuria, Ankit Kumar (c), Yash Dhull, Ayush Badoni, Kanhaiya Wadhawan (w), Sahil Lotra, Nishant Sindhu, Harshit Rana, Auqib Nabi Dar, Mayank Dagar, Arshdeep Singh. 

Liam Livingstone flared his true potential when he single-handedly took a match away from Oval Invincibles in the ongoing The Hundred tournament. Liam played a match-winning 69* off 27 and gifted Birmingham Phoenix their first win of the season. The fantastic knock came into the moment when a group of cricket fans had been discussing the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026). Before the IPL 2026, a mini auction will be held. Ahead of that, there is a series of rumors related to multiple big names and their possible moves for the upcoming IPL season.

Liam Livingstone, who helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) to win their maiden IPL title, was not at his prime in IPL 2025. Cricket fans may not be surprised to see if RCB decides to leave Livingstone because of his repeated underperformances. He ended IPL 2025 at an average of only 16.00 in 10 matches. Stats are not always enough to show a player’s actual potential. So, for IPL 2026, there can be multiple interests for the England international.

3 teams that should pay for Liam Livingstone for the upcoming IPL:

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR)

The multi-time IPL-winning side has to do a lot of repair work after sustaining an unsuccessful season. The champions of IPL 2024 can think about cashing in for multiple new faces in the troop. Liam Livingstone can be a proper replacement for Andre Russell. Russell, who just retired from T20Is and is well past his prime, was looking like a burden for KKR in 2025. Like Russell, Livingstone is also known for his firing abilities from the lower middle order. He can be useful too with bowling. If the Knight management wishes to cash in for an overseas middle-order all-rounder, the Englishman can be the appropriate option.

Read More: 'I hate this...'- Rishabh Pant provides update about his injury

Punjab Kings (PBKS)

It looked all settled for Punjab Kings to lift their first ever IPL trophy until the night of the grand finale came. The batting lineup could not sustain the pressure, and they finished their well-played campaign being the second best. Throughout the tournament, the top and middle order of PBKS looked solid, but their lower middle order was not up to the mark. Marcus Stoinis was simply not at his best. He had a great chance to be the hero for the franchise in the final match against RCB, but the all-rounder got only 6 runs. The 35-year-old scored 160 runs in 13 IPL 2025 matches without any fifty-plus innings. The matches he played after the conclusion of IPL 2025 were also far from promising. Liam Livingstone can be a proper fit in place of Marcus for Punjab Kings.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG)

After so many investments, LSG again finished their IPL campaign far away from the glittering trophy. Like many other franchises in the tournament, they too have to update their middle-order tactics with probably some new signings. For IPL 2025 they trusted experienced David Miller, who is now 36. LSG can prefer to go with someone who can contribute to a multi-year vision. Livingstone can be the batting all-rounder who can help the management to set a right playing combination according to matches.

Sanjeev Goenka and Co. reportedly expanded their wings more in the cricket ground. They have signed a new contract to acquire a whopping 70 percent of shares of The Hundred franchise Manchester Original. Due to their acquisition, the name of the franchise is going to change.

The Hundred franchise known as Manchester Original—from next year, they will be known as Manchester Super Giants, as a huge chunk of its ownership went under LSG's wing. The contracts were signed on Thursday morning, with the deal reportedly finalized earlier this week, according to media reports. Media reports further claimed that due to Haryali Amavasya, a two-day religious festival, LSG had requested the signing to be done on July 24 to mark their new chapter in cricket as more special.

Before their forward move in The Hundreds, LSG claimed the ownership of the SA20 franchise Durban Super Giants. It is known that the LSG started their initiative to get Manchester Original's ownership in February this year. They place the highest bid to capture the ownership of the popular franchise. Shashwat Goenka, the RPSG vice-president, has the dream to challenge the popularity of two English clubs, Manchester United and Manchester City. 

Read More: [WATCH] Joe Root makes new record during ENG vs IND 4th Test in Manchester

Statements from the franchise owners 

"We are not football; we are cricket. We want the Manchester franchise in the Hundred to become the third biggest sports team in Manchester and challenge those two sports teams in Manchester," Shashwat said. 

"We have been very focused on securing a great partner—ideally from the IPL—and RPSG has been our preferred bidder for some time. We are delighted by the outcome and look forward to working together to create an exciting future. Together, we have a shared ambition to create a very special cricket team for the people of Manchester and the wider Northwestregion," Lancashire said in their statement. 

Along with multiple cricket teams, LSG also owns Mohun Bagan Super Giant, a football club based out of Kolkata.