The Lucknow Super Giants, who finished third in the league stage of IPL 2022, will play Delhi Capitals on Saturday in their first game of the season.
LSG lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Eliminator match last season, led by KL Rahul, who scored 616 runs in 15 matches to become the team’s top run scorer.
Rahul will need to make a personal statement not only with the bat but also as a leader of men after being dropped from the playing XI in Test matches, stripped of vice-captaincy across formats, and demoted to the category of annual central contracts.
Mohsin Khan, Lucknow’s most impressive bowler, will be out of IPL 2023 because of a shoulder injury. Khan made a big impression with his skills, taking 14 wickets in nine matches, at least in the first half of this year’s IPL.
LSG wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock is good to go to miss the initial two games essentially given that South Africa will confront the Netherlands with their 50-over World Cup capability on the line.
LSG has supported their side this year by adding West Indies wicketkeeper-hitter Nicholas Pooran for an incredible Rs 16 crore, who drove the Caribbean side in the last T20 World Cup.
The addition of Pooran broadens the team’s options for selecting a wicketkeeper, with Quinton de Kock of South Africa the most likely candidate.
The greatest solid area, nonetheless, is the rundown of all-rounders in the LSG program. In addition to Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Krishnappa Gowtham, and Prerak Mankad from India, Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Sams, Kyle Mayers, and Romario Shepherd have a significant international presence for LSG.
Ravi Bishnoi and veteran India bowler Amit Mishra will be in the spin department. Mark Wood and Jaydev Unadkat, experienced fast bowlers who have also won major international and domestic competitions, will be in the fast bowling department.
LSG will need to find a determined middle order that can respond as needed with the firepower of Rahul and Quinton de Kock at the top, primarily to pick up where their openers leave off. Ayush Badoni had a strong start to the IPL season, but after that, his performance dropped off.
Hooda, a young India player who has played in the shortest format on a regular basis and has the potential to be the enforcer in the middle order, will have to prove his consistency.
Full IPL 2023 Schedule for LSG:
Match 1: Lucknow Super Giants vs. Delhi Capitals, Lucknow, April 1 (7:30 p.m. IST), Match 2: Match 3 on April 3: Chennai Super Kings vs. Lucknow Super Giants (7:30 PM IST) April 7 – Lucknow Super Monsters versus Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow (7:30 PM IST).
Match 4: Match 5: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs. Lucknow Super Giants, Bengaluru, April 10 (3:30 p.m. IST) Lucknow Super Giants host Punjab Kings on April 15 at 7:30 p.m. IST in Match 6: Match 7: Rajasthan Royals vs. Lucknow Super Giants, April 19, Jaipur (7:30 PM IST) Lucknow Super Giants host Gujarat Titans on April 22 at 3:30 p.m. IST in Match 8.
Match 9: Punjab Kings vs. Lucknow Super Giants, April 28 (7:30 PM IST) May 1: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs. Lucknow Super Giants, Lucknow (7:30 PM IST); Match 10: May 4: Chennai Super Kings vs. Lucknow Super Giants (3:30 p.m. IST) Match 11.
Match 12: Gujarat Titans vs. Lucknow Super Giants on May 7 at 3:30 p.m. IST Match 13 between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants on May 13 (3:30 p.m. IST): Match 14: Lucknow Super Giants vs. Mumbai Indians on May 16.
Players Purchased in IPL 2023 closeout:
Yudhvir Charak (Rs. 20 lahks), Naveen-ul-Haq (Rs. 50 lakh), Swapnil Singh (Rs. 20 lakh), Prerak Mankad (Rs. 20 lakh), Amit Mishra (Rs. 50 lakh), Daniel Sams (Rs. 75 lakh), Romario Shepherd (Rs. 50 lakh), Yash Thakur (Rs. 45 lakh), Jaydev Unadkat (Rs. 50 lakh), Nicholas Poor Ayush Badoni, KL Rahul (c), Karan Sharma, Manan Vohra, Quinton de Kock, Marcus Stoinis, Krishnappa Gowtham, Deepak Hooda, Kyle Mayers, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Mark Wood, Mayank Yadav, and Ravi Bishnoi