Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) made an impressive entry in the IPL – though not as grand as the title-winning Gujarat Titans newcomer franchise – as KL Rahul led the Sanjeev Goenka-owned franchise to the playoffs where they lost to RCB in the Eliminator.
LSG made some significant changes in their squad releasing a few overseas stars and buying new ones in the IPL 2023 auction – their INR 16 crore signing Nicholas Pooran hogging the limelight. Daniel Sams (75 lakh), Romario Shepherd (50 lakh), and Naveen-ul-Haq (50 lakh) were other key overseas acquisitions, though none of them are likely to start in LSG’s best XI.
Among renowned Indian players LSG roped in Jaydev Unadkat (50 lakh), Amit Mishra (50 lakh), and Prerak Mankad (20 lakh).
LSG reached the playoffs in IPL 2022, but couldn’t go further
LSG didn’t have as such holes in their best XI or squad last season, but they would want more explosive batters to work around KL Rahul, and they have done well to get in Pooran for that role. There is Marcus Stoinis and Deepak Hooda follow the top order.
In the bowling department, Mohsin Khan was impressive last year, but is currently recovering from a back injury and is unlikely to start in the initial matches. Krunal Pandya and Stoinis are the two key all-rounders in LSG’s line-up – and with Hooda as an off-spin option, it allows them to play an extra batter, further emboldening other batters to play aggressively.
They will demand more from Ravi Bishnoi than he did last year. With Avesh Khan and Mark Wood retained, and now fit and firing, LSG have a good bowling attack to go in the tournament with.
Lucknow Super Giants strongest predicted XI for IPL 2023:
KL Rahul (C), Quinton de Kock (wk), Deepak Hooda, Nicholas Pooran, Krunal Pandya, Marcus Stoinis, K Gowtham, Avesh Khan, Mark Wood, Ravi Bishnoi, Jaydev Unadkat
KL Rahul (C), Avesh Khan, Ayush Badoni, Quinton de Kock (wk), K Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Prerak Mankad, Kyle Mayers, Amit Mishra, Mohsin Khan, Naveen-ul-Haq, Krunal Pandya, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Ravi Bishnoi, Daniel Sams, Karan Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Marcus Stoinis, Swapnil Singh, Jaydev Unadkat, Manan Vohra, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, Yash Thakur, Yudhvir Singh
