After finishing sixth in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) season, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are anticipated to undergo significant changes in the upcoming mega auction in January 2025. The franchise’s underwhelming performance, coupled with an alleged incident involving skipper KL Rahul and the team owner, has prompted a review of the team’s overall performance and the impact of such incidents. Despite a promising start, LSG’s bowling and batting faltered in the latter stages of the season, contributing to their disappointing end. The upcoming auction is expected to address the team’s weaknesses and bring in fresh talent.
LSG’s struggles were evident in the underwhelming performances of several key players. All-rounder Krunal Pandya failed to impress with both bat and ball, while Deepak Hooda’s contributions were also below expectations. Quinton de Kock’s runs at the top of the order were not enough to provide LSG with the desired starts, despite KL Rahul emerging as the team’s leading run-getter. However, overseas players Nicholas Pooran and Marcus Stoinis made significant contributions, with Pooran’s match-winning knock against Mumbai Indians and Stoinis’ unbeaten century against Chennai Super Kings standing out as highlights.
Youngster Ayush Badoni showed consistency in the lower order, but the failure of Devdutt Padikkal in the middle order jolted LSG. Arshad Khan showed promise with the bat, but injuries to Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan disrupted the team’s momentum. Afghanistan pacer Naveen-ul-Haq was the pick of LSG bowlers, while Yash Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi, and Mohsin Khan also contributed. Nonetheless, a heavy defeat to SRH exposed LSG’s bowling woes.
Skipper KL Rahul acknowledged the team’s shortcomings after the season, highlighting injuries and the lack of collective performance as contributing factors. Chief coach Justin Langer echoed Rahul’s sentiments, emphasizing the impact of dropped catches on the team’s fortunes. LSG will be hoping to address these issues in the upcoming auction and build a stronger squad for the next IPL season.
