Lucknow Super Giants - Super Giants Unleashed
RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group's RPSG Sports Pvt Ltd (₹7,090 Cr acquisition) fuels IPL's newest powerhouse. BRSABV Ekana Stadium (50,000 capacity) - slow-turner fortress where Rishabh Pant sparks Bhojpuri revolution.
KL Rahul captaincy blueprint:
text2022 Debut: 3rd place (Qualifier 1 loss to GT) 2023: 3rd again (Eliminator vs MI) Rahul: 616 runs 2022 (avg 51.33) Pooran: 499 runs 2023 (SR 179) Quinton de Kock: 230 runs opener
2024/25 Transition: Pant era begins post-slump.
Justin Langer (HC 2025-):
textAussie Test grit + T20 nous Pant leadership empowerment Bowling rebuild specialist
Zaheer Khan (Mentor): Pace factory architect
Support: Lance Klusener (Batting), Jonty Rhodes (Fielding)
Rishabh Pant - Captain Fearless
text₹27 Cr IPL record auction buy (2025) Dynamic WK-batter-captain (DC 2016-24 legacy) IPL Stats: 3,284 runs @ SR 147 (till 2025) Aggressive reboot agent
Nicholas Pooran - Middle-Order Monster
textRetained WK-finisher 2023: 499 runs SR 179 (top-3 scorer) Trinidad power-hitter
Mayank Yadav - Express Phenomenon
textRetained: 156.7kph thunderbolt (IPL record) 2024: 7 wkts 3 inns (3/27 PBKS) Injury-proof comeback
Ravi Bishnoi - Leg-Spin Assassin
textRetained: Googly wizard (UP roots) 50+ IPL wkts young
Mohsin Khan - Swing Sultan
textRetained: Left-arm powerplay ace Injury battles won
Ayush Badoni - Clutch Superstar
textRetained: Lower-order magician Multiple rescue chases
Retentions (17 Players - Bold Strategy):
text**Batters**: Rishabh Pant (C, Retained), Nicholas Pooran (WK, Retained), Mitchell Marsh (All-rounder), Aiden Markram (Opener), Abdul Samad (Power-hitter), Himmat Singh (Domestic), Matthew Breetzke (Overseas) **All-rounders**: Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni **Bowlers**: Digvesh Rathi (Spinner), Avesh Khan (Pacer), Akash Singh (Pacer), Prince Yadav (Pacer), M Siddharth (Spinner), Mohsin Khan (Pacer), Mayank Yadav (Pacer)
Trades In: Mohammed Shami (₹10 Cr from SRH - Purple Cap vet), Arjun Tendulkar (₹30L from MI - Left-arm swing)
Auction Buys (₹22.95 Cr Purse - Smart Splurges):
textJosh Inglis (AUS WK, ₹8.6 Cr - PBKS release) Wanindu Hasaranga (SL Spin All-rounder, ₹2 Cr base - RR release) Anrich Nortje (SA Express, ₹2 Cr base - KKR release) Mukul Choudhary (Uncapped WK-Batter, ₹2.6 Cr - MI bid war) Naman Tiwari (Uncapped Pacer, ₹1 Cr) Akshat Raghuwanshi (Uncapped Batter, ₹2.2 Cr) Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Will O’Rourke, Shamar Joseph (depth pacers)
Trades Out: Shardul Thakur (₹2 Cr to MI)
Overseas Slots (8): Pooran, Marsh, Markram, Breetzke, Hasaranga, Nortje, Inglis, rotate
text50,000 capacity - Lucknow party palace Grippy slow pitch: Spin + cutters thrive Boundary dimensions: Large (75m+) LSG Home Record: 60% wins (12/20) Viral dance celebrations Avg 1st inns: 165 (lowest IPL)
textAyush Badoni: Delhi prodigy → Clutch hero Mayank Yadav: 150kph+ rookie sensation Mohsin Khan: UP swing king Digvesh Rathi: Mystery spinner Akash Singh/Prince Yadav: Pace prospects Mukul Choudhary: WK breakout (₹2.6 Cr steal)
text🥉 Playoffs 2022 (Lost Q1 to GT), 2023 (Eliminator vs MI) No titles - Title drought ends 2026? Win %: 52% (60+ matches: 31W-28L)
Explosive Middle-Order:
textPant/Pooran/Marsh/Miller: SR 160+ acceleration Samad six-machine
Pace Battery Elite:
textMayank 156kph + Shami experience + Nortje express + Avesh bounce + Mohsin swing Avg speed: 142kph (top-4)
Spin Variety:
textBishnoi googly + Hasaranga mystery + Rathi/Digvesh domestic Ekana stranglehold
Leadership Fire:
textPant aggression + Langer grit = Perfect storm
"Super Giants Dhamaka" - Bhojpuri energy
Ekana Roar: Post-win dances (50M+ views)
Goenka Ambition: "Top-4 mandatory, title soon"
Pant Mantra: "Attack every ball"
2026 Mission: Maiden playoffs → Title charge.
Purse Mastery: Retained core, auction steals.
"LSG isn't building - LSG is exploding."
— Justin Langer on Pant Era
