LSG target players will be at the centre of the franchise’s rebuild as Lucknow Super Giants enter the IPL 2026 auction with flexibility, a clear purse advantage, and several defined gaps. With a strong batting core and multiple all-rounders, LSG’s challenge is to secure a new overseas finisher, reinforce pace depth, and rebuild their spin department after releasing Ravi Bishnoi and David Miller.
Here is the complete LSG auction strategy, squad depth chart and who will LSG buy for IPL 2026 keeping in mind the shortlist of 359 players for the auction.
How LSG Squad 2026 Looks Right Now
Lucknow Super Giants have a good core squad set, including the highest-priced player of the 2025 auction, and will look to make key additions in the IPL 2026 auction.
| Position | First-choice XI | Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Opener | Mitchell Marsh ✈️ | Arshin Kulkarni |
| Opener / No.3 | Aiden Markram ✈️ | Himmat Singh |
| No.3 / No.4 | Rishabh Pant (c, wk) | — |
| No.4 / Finisher | Nicholas Pooran ✈️ | Matthew Breetzke ✈️ |
| No.5 | Ayush Badoni | Prince Yadav |
| No.6 / Power-hitter | Abdul Samad | Arjun Tendulkar |
| All-rounder | Shahbaz Ahmed | Manimaran Siddharth |
| Pace Leader | Mohammed Shami | Akash Singh |
| Express Pace | Mayank Yadav | Avesh Khan |
| Mystery Spin | Digvesh Rathi | — |
| Indian Pace | Mohsin Khan | Domestic pacer (auction) |
LSG Impact: Middle-order hitter or wrist-spinner (auction)
Strongest areas
- Proven top order with Pant, Pooran, Marsh and Markram
- Elite pace potential with Shami and Mayank Yadav
- Strong domestic all-rounder base
- High death-overs hitting ceiling despite Miller’s exit
Key weakness areas from sheet analysis
- No overseas finisher after David Miller’s release
- Lack of a middle-order stabiliser to complement Pant/Pooran
- No specialist wrist-spinner after releasing Bishnoi
- Pace depth concerns due to recurring injuries to Mayank Yadav and Avesh Khan
- Need for bench strength in top order
Resulting Needs
Matches the sheet perfectly:
- Overseas finisher
- Overseas and Indian pace backups
- Indian wrist spinner
- Flexible domestic middle-order options
LSG Auction Strategy 2026: Key Profile Requirements
- A world-class overseas finisher with six-hitting range
- An overseas enforcer pacer to support Shami
- A reliable domestic wrist-spinner
- Additional domestic batting stability for Nos. 4–6
- Long-term all-rounder investments
These categories shape the LSG target players 2026 shortlist.
Top LSG Target Players 2026
Category A: High-Priority Targets
| Player | Role Fit | Why LSG Need Him |
|---|---|---|
| Matheesha Pathirana ✈️ | Death-overs specialist | Replaces Miller’s finishing phase with bowling strength |
| Roston Chase ✈️ | Middle-order stabiliser + spin | Ideal for No.4/5; adds spin balance |
| Anmolpreet Singh | Domestic top-order batter | Bench stability and form-based rotation |
| Sarfaraz Khan | Middle-order LHB/RHB flexibility | Reliable domestic run accumulator |
| Jonny Bairstow ✈️ | Convert to finisher | High-experience player with raw finishing skills, flexible option |
These players solve LSG’s biggest gaps: finishing, stability and depth.
Category B: Medium-Priority Targets
| Player | Role Fit | Why Consider |
|---|---|---|
| Rahul Tripathi | Top-order Indian backup | Adds experience and pace-hitting ability |
| Lalit Yadav | Middle-order + part-time spin | Provides flexibility and cheap balance |
| RS Ambrish | Domestic fast bowler | Future-ready pace option |
| Akshat Raghuwanshi | Emerging top-order talent | Long-term domestic batting investment |
| Liam Livingstone ✈️ | Overseas finisher + spin | Explosive lower-order hitter; matches LSG’s needs |
| Will O’Rourke ✈️ | New-ball and enforcer bowler | Good pairing with Shami; workload protection |
| Mustafizur Rahman ✈️ | Death-overs pacer | Option if Pathirana goes too expensive |
Category C: Low-Priority Budget Targets
| Player | Fit |
|---|---|
| Salil Arora | Domestic middle-order bat |
| Tushar Raheja | TNPL top-order performer |
| Sairaj Patil | Batting all-rounder with finishing skill |
Useful for plug-in depth if the budget tightens.
LSG Remaining Purse Plan
| Priority Role | Expected Budget Allocation | Target Pool |
|---|---|---|
| Overseas finisher | ₹7–11 Cr | Livingstone / Chase / Pathirana |
| Overseas pace backup | ₹4–6 Cr | O’Rourke / Mustafizur / Pathirana |
| Domestic wrist-spinner | ₹1–2 Cr | Ravi Teja |
| Domestic batting depth | ₹1–3 Cr | Anmolpreet / Sarfaraz / Raghuwanshi |
| All-rounder investment | ₹1–2 Cr | Dian Forrester / Sairaj Patil |
LSG’s approach focuses on role-specific upgrades rather than squad overhaul.
Who Will LSG Buy? Most Realistic Predictions
Based on squad needs + purse strength + sheet priority grading:
- Liam Livingstone or Roston Chase
- Will O’Rourke
- Sarfaraz Khan
- Dian Forrester
This combination gives LSG:
- A destructive finisher
- Injury-proof pace depth
- Middle-order consistency
- A long-term all-rounder project
