South Africa’s Aiden Markram expressed his delight at being retained by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ahead of the 2026 Indian Premier League auction, saying he thoroughly enjoyed his stint with the franchise during the 2025 season.
Markram delivered a strong campaign last year, scoring 445 runs in 13 matches at an average of 34.23 and a strike rate of 148.83, registering five half-centuries. He also contributed with the ball, picking up four wickets. His all-round performances convinced LSG to retain him for the upcoming season.
Reflecting on his retention in a video shared by the franchise, Markram said, “Yeah, it’s great. I really enjoyed my time with the Lucknow franchise last year. I made some really good friendships and enjoyed just a few months together with the squad. So, I’m very grateful to be retained and obviously looking forward to another season with them.”
When asked how he plans to approach the 19th edition of the tournament, he emphasised building on last season’s positives. “You have to be really good as a team to do well in the IPL. I don’t think we were very far off last season. A couple of moments here and there and a few results would have looked different.
“Before you know it, you’ve qualified for the knockout. So, definitely not overcomplicating anything. I think trying to do the things we did well, try to redo those things and win a couple more crunch moments. Before you know it, I think the competition looks really promising for us.”
Despite making notable changes in leadership and personnel, LSG were unable to improve on their IPL 2024 and 2025 performances. Rishabh Pant replaced KL Rahul as captain, while Zaheer Khan joined as team mentor, but the team once again missed the playoffs, finishing seventh for the second straight season.
A string of losses towards the end of the league stage derailed their campaign, costing them a place in the knockouts. LSG will now look to reset ahead of the auction as they aim for a stronger showing in the upcoming edition.