LSG's chance in IPL 2025 hinge on their performances of their top-order and their death bowling
Lucknow Super Giants finished well outside the playoffs in 7th in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 and had a strange IPL 2025 auction where they focused all their powers to buy Rishabh Pant, leaving some areas without high-profile acquisitions.
LSG still have a strong squad for the upcoming season which could be helped by contributions all across the board.
Here are four players who could play the pivotal role in their success in IPL 2025.
Their newly-appointed captain is the lynchpin for LSG as he had donned that role for Delhi Capitals for three seasons. Pant has batted across the order in T20s and it is believed that he will be opening the innings for LSG in the upcoming season.
Even if that doesn’t happen, Pant has been the most effective for DC at No.4 and No.5 scoring 1,223 runs from 42 innings and 572 runs in 21 matches respectively. In these two positions, Pant has a strike rate of over 137 and 150 respectively. He has also played as low as No.6 at times which could be handy in tricky situations. Wherever he plays, Pant is the one who holds the innings together for Lucknow.
Markram’s exploits in the SA20 2023 leading Sunrisers Eastern Cape to the title with 366 runs and 11 wickets has earned him reputation as a leader and a genuine allrounder. SEC retaining the title in 2024 under his captaincy furthered his name as a bankable character in the dressing room.
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Even though he hasn’t bowled a lot in the IPL, his offspin has the ability to make a dent in opposition’s momentum. Markram’s career T20 strike rate of 132 isn’t eyecatching, but he offers a stability very few can. Even though he has scored a major chunk of his T20 runs – 1,311 batting No.4, Markram has played in every position from opening to No.6 in the format.
The legspinner is the strike bowler for LSG heading into the new season due to his stunning form in the domestic circuit. Bishnoi claimed 14 wickets from seven matches at an average of 13.7 in the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Gujarat, which kept his place in the national team for the T20I series against England.
His 10 wickets from 14 matches in IPL 2024 was his lowest ever return for a single season, yet he was among the top 10 bowlers with a minimum 200-balls bowled in the middle overs claiming eight wickets at an economy of 7.8. He will be the key in the phase again if LSG are to improve their overall bowling numbers.
LSG were the third worst bowling team at the death in IPL 2024 with an economy of 11.8 and a wicket every 16 balls. Left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan’s form had a lot to do with it as he leaked runs at 13 RPO despite bowling 11 overs in the final phase last year.
However, he has been good for Uttar Pradesh in the 2024 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with nine wickets from seven matches at an economy of 7.6 which proved complementary to Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Vineet Panwar to claim a combined total of 23 wickets. Change of pace is a valuable skill for any T20 bowler and Mohsin has showcased it in the IPL on multiple occasions. He needs to execute it properly this year.
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