Revamped LSG gear up for IPL 2026 opener against Delhi Capitals

Lucknow Super Giants will begin their IPL 2026 campaign against Delhi Capitals at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Wednesday, hoping for a stronger and more balanced season after a difficult previous year. The franchise has focused on strengthening its squad, particularly the bowling unit, while also reshaping its batting order to provide more stability.

Last season proved challenging for Lucknow, with injuries to several key players, especially in the pace department, affecting the team’s consistency. This time, however, the squad looks far more settled, with a number of players returning to full fitness and some experienced additions boosting the lineup.

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The pace attack has been reinforced with the inclusion of seasoned campaigner Mohammed Shami and South African speedster Anrich Nortje. Both are expected to bring experience and control to the bowling unit. Young pace sensation Mayank Yadav, who battled injuries last season, has spent the past year working on his fitness and could play a crucial role if he regains his rhythm.

Mohsin Khan is also set to return after recovering from injury, while Prince Yadav has impressed the coaching staff with his performances in the nets. Together, they provide Lucknow with a deeper and more varied pace attack than in previous seasons.

In the spin department, mystery spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi will be one to watch. After making a strong impression in his debut season last year, Rathi will look to build on that momentum and further establish himself as a key member of the bowling lineup.

Compared to the bowling unit, the batting order appears more settled. The opening combination of Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram gives Lucknow an explosive yet dependable start at the top. Both players bring international experience and the ability to accelerate the scoring during the powerplay.

Further down the order, the team has reshuffled roles to ensure better balance. Captain Rishabh Pant is expected to move up the order after struggling to make an impact at number four for much of last season before finishing with a century when promoted to number three. Nicholas Pooran is likely to follow in the middle order, providing firepower in the later stages of the innings.

Lucknow will face a Delhi Capitals side that showed promise last year but fell short of a playoff berth. Delhi struggled with instability at the top of the order, trying as many as seven opening combinations across the season. This year, they will hope for more clarity and consistency in their batting lineup.

KL Rahul is expected to open the innings, although his partner remains uncertain, with Prithvi Shaw, Abishek Porel and Pathum Nissanka among the options. The addition of David Miller strengthens the middle order alongside fellow South African Tristan Stubbs, adding experience and power-hitting ability.

Delhi also boast a strong bowling attack, even though Mitchell Starc will miss the opening game due to injury. Captain Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav form a formidable spin duo capable of turning games in the middle overs.

The pace department has been bolstered by the inclusion of Lungi Ngidi, who impressed with his variations and change of pace during the recent T20 World Cup. Left-arm seamer T Natarajan has also returned to full fitness after spending much of last season sidelined with injury, adding further depth to the Capitals’ bowling lineup.

Squads:

Lucknow Super Kings: Rishabh Pant (C), Aiden Markram, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Josh Inglis.Mitchell Marsh, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahamad, Arshin Kulkarni, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ayush Badoni, Mohammad Shami, Avesh Khan, M. Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Anrich Nortje, Naman Tiwari, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan

Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel (C), K.L. Rahul, Karun Nair, David Miller, Pathum Nissanka, Sahil Parakh, Prithvi Shaw, Abishek Porel, Tristan Stubbs, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Vipraj Nigam, Ajay Mandal, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari, Auqib Dar, Nitish Rana, Mitchell Starc, T. Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Dushmantha Chameera, Lungisani Ngidi, Kyle Jamieson, Kuldeep Yadav