IPL Auction 2026 Preview: Lucknow Super Giants face key gaps to fill in bid to return as title contenders | Cricket News
During their four-year journey as an IPL franchise, Lucknow Super Giants have rarely shied away from taking bold decisions. Last year’s Rs 27 crore splurge on Rishabh Pant rewrote auction history, but it also underlined a deeper truth about this team: LSG thrives on big swings, big bets and big risks. Some pay handsomely, others end up burning holes during their season.As LSG heads into the IPL 2026 auction with a purse of Rs 22.95 crore, they are entering a tricky stage of building their team. They released two key players at the same time. The departure of David Miller left a clear void in the finisher role, while letting go of Ravi Bishnoi created a big hole in their rotation attack.
Even though LSG finished seventh last season, they are not a team in ruins. This is a team with an elite ceiling but shaky execution.
An exceptional order that can suit everyone
If there was a redeeming story in LSG’s 2025 season, it would be that of its top three hitters. Aiden Markram, Mitchell Swamp and Nicholas Pooran were among the league’s most consistent cores.Markram scored 445 runs at a strike rate of almost 150 and contributed with handy breaks. Marsh made the franchise’s highest number of runs in the season, crossing 600 runs at 163. Pooran, despite his international retirement, is still one of the best in T20s and had a blistering 500-run season with his strike rate reaching 200.Their front three did the heavy lifting in every game. The problem was everything that followed.
The forgettable pants season and the empty middle
The signing of Rishabh Pant was expected to transform Lucknow’s batting depth, but he endured by far the worst campaign of his career. His 269 runs at a strike rate of 133 were flattering only because of a last match stand of 118 not out against RCB. For most of the season he seemed to lack pace, confidence and intent.David Miller, recruited as a specialist finisher, did not have the impact hoped for by LSG. With him gone and Pant unreliable, the middle order collapsed on several occasions. Badoni remains inconsistent, while Samad is still learning the art of situational batting.That’s why LSG entered the auction, with its biggest requirement being two middle-order batters – ideally a foreign batter and an Indian stabilizer. Liam Livingstone appears to be the best option available for them in this auction. Abhinav Manohar is also a domestic lower-order hitter who they can look at.
The spin dilemma after Bishnoi
Ravi Bishnoi’s release came as a surprise. A young elite Indian leg-spinner is gold dust in the IPL. His exit forces LSG to rebuild an entirely new spin duo around Digvesh Rathi, who had a promising debut season but will need support. Markram can offer side effects, but they still need a frontline partner for Rathi.
The choices available are:
- Wanindu Hasaranga, the renowned all-rounder who also strengthens the lower order
- Rahul Chahar, a defensive spinner who can complement Rathi
- Michael Bracewell or Sikandar Raza, if LSG wants batting cushion and overs
A bowling attack built on hope, not certainty
LSG’s biggest vulnerability last year was bowling in all phases. They had:
- worst power play economy
- the worst middle economy
- the fourth worst economy in terms of deaths
They also took the second fewest wickets with the new ball and the third in the middle overs.And yet, little has changed.Mohammad Shami was traded, bringing experience and new ball skills. He’s coming off a good domestic season, but given his age, he’s no longer a guaranteed 14-match workhorse. Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan were retained again, which reflects their faith but also their stubbornness. Both have missed the majority of the last two seasons due to injuries. Prince Yadav, Akash Singh and Siddharth M remain as replacements.At this point, LSG is banking on bringing back injury-prone bowlers rather than strengthening the attack. It’s a dangerous bet.They still have:
- no seamstresses abroad
- no spinners abroad
They may need at least one quickie overseas, and someone like Mustafizur Rahman suits them perfectly. The Ekana pitch makes cuts and grip easy, and Fizz’s left arm angle would add some much-needed variety.
Why the Versatile Slot is Crucial
LSG’s combination requires them to play an all-Indian bowling attack, with four overseas slots consumed by Markram, Marsh, Pooran and the incoming middle-order signing. This is rare in the IPL and puts enormous pressure on the domestic bowlers.If they choose to sacrifice a foreign middle-order hitter, then a player like Hasaranga suddenly becomes invaluable. It offers quality effects, lower order keystrokes and flexibility. Alternatively, they could invest in overseas bowlers such as Mustafizur, Matt Henry, Jacob Duffy, Gerald Coetzee or Fazalhaq Farooqi.LSG enters the IPL Auction 2026 with a team boasting world-class top-order power but a fragile middle and lower-order structure. Their bowling attack is long on names but unreliable, with major injury problems.Still, this team has a high ceiling. A few decent buys – a foreign middle-order hitter, a spinner and an Indian finisher – and suddenly they look like contenders again.Probable LSGImpact player: a player who rotates
