Like the Gujarat Titans, last season was the first time LSG failed to qualify for the playoffs, finishing seventh. The main talking point was KL Rahul’s struggles as both a captain and a batter, along with his fallout with Sanjiv Goenka. As a result, they released him and began searching for a new captain in the auction.
The Super Giants retained five players, including their Indian core—Ayush Badoni, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohsin Khan, and young pacer Mayank Yadav. The only foreign player they retained was Nicholas Pooran, who has been with the team since its inception.
Their biggest signing this season was Rishabh Pant, purchased for a record 27 crores. LSG also added powerful hitters in South Africans David Miller and Aiden Markram. In the all-rounder category, their best buy was Australia’s Mitchell Marsh, along with former SRH players Abdul Samad and Shahbaz Ahmed.
In the bowling department, LSG faced a setback as Mohsin Khan suffered an injury. He was replaced by Indian all-rounder Shardul Thakur. Avesh, Bishnoi, and Mayank will lead their bowling attack. The team will need to work hard to win this year’s IPL.
Weaknesses that could prevent LSG from winning their first-ever IPL trophy
The lack of variety in foreign pace bowlers could be a major problem for the Super Giants. Apart from Marsh, who is a batting all-rounder, LSG has no overseas fast bowler capable of hitting hard lengths. Relying too much on young players like Bishnoi and Mayank could cause them to struggle under pressure.
Apart from Rishabh Pant, Lucknow’s team lacks a proven, experienced Indian batter, which could be a major weakness. They will have to rely on Badoni and Kulkarni, who haven’t had much playtime. Samad and Shahbaz must take responsibility for big hitting alongside Pooran and Miller.
The Super Giants also lack a proven opener. Kulkarni and Marsh are expected to open the batting for LSG. While both can be destructive on their day, Kulkarni’s inexperience and Marsh’s inconsistency could hurt their chances of winning the IPL title. Captain Pant must take responsibility and become the backbone of the team. Lucknow’s hopes of winning the IPL depend on him maintaining good form throughout the season.