Key takeaways
- LSG finished 10th in 2026 with four wins from 14.
- Mitchell Marsh led their batting with 563 runs; Prince Yadav led the wickets with 16.
- Captain Rishabh Pant has since been traded to Delhi; Kuldeep Yadav came the other way.
- Ekana is slow with long boundaries — four of six 2026 games there were low-scoring.
LSG at a glance
| Captain (2026) | Rishabh Pant — since traded to Delhi Capitals |
|---|---|
| Head coach | Justin Langer |
| Home ground | Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow |
| IPL titles | None |
| 2026 league stage | 10th — 4 wins, 10 losses, 8 points |
| 2026 top run-scorer | Mitchell Marsh, 563 |
| 2026 top wicket-taker | Prince Yadav, 16 |
The 2026 season in brief
Lucknow traded for Mohammed Shami (from Sunrisers Hyderabad) and Arjun Tendulkar (from Mumbai Indians), let Shardul Thakur go to Mumbai, and bought Josh Inglis and Anrich Nortje at the auction. Wanindu Hasaranga withdrew before the season and was replaced by George Linde.
It did not work: four wins from 14 and the first team eliminated. Mitchell Marsh was the bright spot with 563 runs before he left for national duty. In June, Lucknow traded captain Rishabh Pant to Delhi Capitals for wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
Squad by role (2026)
| Role | Players |
|---|---|
| Batters | Nicholas Pooran (overseas), Josh Inglis (overseas), Mukul Choudhary, Himmat Singh |
| Wicket-keeper | Rishabh Pant (c) — since traded |
| All-rounders | Mitchell Marsh (overseas), Aiden Markram (overseas), Matthew Breetzke (overseas), George Linde (overseas), Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni |
| Pace bowlers | Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Anrich Nortje (overseas), Mayank Yadav, Prince Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Arjun Tendulkar, Arshin Kulkarni, Naman Tiwari, Akash Singh |
| Spin bowlers | Digvesh Rathi, Manimaran Siddharth, Shahbaz Ahmed, Akshat Raghuwanshi |
Changes since the season: Kuldeep Yadav has joined from Delhi Capitals and Rishabh Pant has left. With Pant gone, Lucknow need a new captain and a wicket-keeper; Nicholas Pooran and Josh Inglis can both keep.
Form and numbers from 2026
| Player | Role | 2026 numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Mitchell Marsh | All-rounder | 563 runs |
| Rishabh Pant | Wicket-keeper batter (traded) | 312 runs |
| Josh Inglis | Batter | 266 runs |
| Nicholas Pooran | Batter | 234 runs |
| Aiden Markram | All-rounder | 231 runs |
| Prince Yadav | Pace bowler | 16 wickets |
| Mohammed Shami | Pace bowler | 12 wickets |
| Mohsin Khan | Pace bowler | 11 wickets |
Two things stand out for fantasy. Marsh scored nearly twice as many runs as anyone else, and he was overseas and away on national duty for part of the season — so Lucknow's batting depended heavily on one player. And their three leading wicket-takers were all seamers, which fits a slow home pitch that rewards bowlers who hit the deck.
Core fantasy picks
- Mitchell Marsh — 563 runs at the top of the order plus some medium pace; a two-way pick and a captaincy option when available.
- Prince Yadav — 16 wickets; Lucknow's most productive bowler in 2026.
- Mohammed Shami — 12 wickets; new-ball skill that suits Ekana's pitch.
- Kuldeep Yadav — joins from Delhi. A wicket-taking wrist-spinner on a home pitch that gives spinners grip.
Value picks and differentials
- Aiden Markram — top-order batting and part-time off-spin; useful two-way value.
- Nicholas Pooran — a hitter whose value rises if he takes the gloves after Pant's departure.
- Josh Inglis — another possible wicket-keeper; 266 runs in his first Lucknow season.
- Mohsin Khan — left-arm seamer with 11 wickets; usually cheaper than Shami.
Always check the confirmed playing eleven and batting order after the toss.
Ekana: what the numbers say
Figures for IPL matches at the Ekana Cricket Stadium (28 matches, as of May 2026):
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Wins batting first / chasing | 12 / 15 (one no result) |
| Average first-innings score | 174 |
| Highest total / highest successful chase | 235 / 206 |
| 2026 pattern | Four of six games were low-scoring |
What it means for your team:
- A slow, sluggish pitch with long boundaries — more than 75 metres on all sides. Bowlers are more valuable here than at most IPL grounds.
- Both pace and spin can work: spinners get grip and turn, and seamers who hit the deck hard are effective.
- Be careful with big-hitting batters — long boundaries turn some sixes into catches. Top-order batters who rotate the strike tend to do better.
Full venue breakdown — records, toss trends, pace vs spin and a pre-match checklist: Ekana pitch report. For a general routine, see pitch and conditions.
Matchups to check before each LSG game
- Lucknow's seamers against the opposition top order at Ekana. Prince Yadav, Shami and Mohsin Khan took 39 wickets between them in 2026; visiting batters who rely on pace on the ball struggle here.
- Kuldeep against the middle order. A wrist-spinner on a gripping pitch is a strong wicket-taking option, especially against batters who struggle to read the googly.
- Opposition spinners at Ekana. Visiting spinners can also be good differentials on this surface.
- Marsh against the new ball. If he is available and opens, his score depends on getting through the first few overs.
Where to look: player profiles and head-to-head pages on ESPNcricinfo or the official IPL site list a batter's record against each bowler and bowling type.
Captaincy in LSG matches
- At Ekana: a bowler — Kuldeep Yadav or Prince Yadav — is a sound choice on this slow pitch.
- Away on flat pitches: Marsh or Markram from the top order.
- In mega contests: an opposition spinner at Ekana is a less popular captain with a real role.
More on choosing: captain and vice-captain.
Recent head-to-head (2025–2026)
Lucknow's results against the other nine teams over the last two seasons. Washed-out games are shown as no result and not counted.
| Opponent | 2025 | 2026 | LSG won–lost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chennai Super Kings | Lost | Lost, won | 1–2 |
| Delhi Capitals | Lost, lost | Lost | 0–3 |
| Gujarat Titans | Won, won | Lost | 2–1 |
| Kolkata Knight Riders | Won | Won, lost | 2–1 |
| Mumbai Indians | Won, lost | Lost | 1–2 |
| Punjab Kings | Lost, lost | Lost, lost | 0–4 |
| Rajasthan Royals | Won | Lost, lost | 1–2 |
| Royal Challengers Bengaluru | Lost | Lost, won | 1–2 |
| Sunrisers Hyderabad | Won, lost | Won | 2–1 |
Treat these results as context, not a prediction. Lucknow have lost all four recent games against Punjab and all three against Delhi.
What to watch before IPL 2027
- A new captain. With Pant gone, the choice of captain — and who keeps wicket — shapes the batting order.
- 17 November — retentions. Whether Lucknow keep Marsh, Pooran, Markram and Inglis decides their overseas mix.
- 16 December — auction. Lucknow need reliable middle-order runs; they had ₹22.95 crore left after the 2026 auction.
Sources
- The Tribune (ANI), IPL extends deadline for retention lists to November 17, 2 November 2026 — retention deadline.
- Wikipedia, 2026 Lucknow Super Giants season — squad, results, run and wicket tallies, auction, trades.
- Wikipedia, 2025 Lucknow Super Giants season — 2025 results.
- Business Standard, IPL 2027 auction in Goa on December 16; retentions due November 15, October 2026 — post-season trades.
- CricTracker, LSG vs PBKS: IPL 2026 records and stats at Ekana Cricket Stadium, May 2026 — venue figures and pitch notes.