After finishing third in the league stage of IPL 2022, Lucknow Super Giants will face Delhi Capitals in their campaign opener on Saturday. Led by KL Rahul, who emerged as the team’s highest run scorer with a total of 616 runs in 15 matches, LSG lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Eliminator match last season. Dropped from the playing XI in Test matches, stripped of vice-captain in several formats and relegated in the annual central contracts category, Rahul will have to make a personal statement not only with the bat but as a leader of men.
However, going into IPL 2023, Lucknow will be without their most impressive bowler Mohsin Khan who made a strong impression with his skills by taking 14 wickets in nine matches at least in the first half of this year’s IPL due to a shoulder injury.
LSG wicketkeeper batsman Quinton de Kock is all set to miss the first two games, at least considering South Africa will face the Netherlands with their 50-over World Cup qualification on the line.
LSG have strengthened their side this year by adding West Indies wicketkeeper batsman Nicholas Pooran for a whopping Rs 16 crore who led the Caribbean side in the last T20 World Cup.
The addition of Pooran adds more flexibility in choosing their wicketkeeper, with South Africa’s Quinton de Kock being the primary option.
Its biggest strength, however, is the list of all-rounders on the LSG roster. Along with India’s Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Krishnappa Gowtham, Prerak Mankad, LSG also has a rich overseas presence of Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Sams, Kyle Mayers and Romario Shepherd.
The spin section will have experienced Indian bowler Amit Mishra along with Ravi Bishnoi, while in Mark Wood and Jaydev Unadkat they have experienced fast bowlers who have also won major international and domestic competitions.
With the firepower of Rahul and Quinton de Kock at the top, LSG will need to find a resolute mid-order that can react as needed – usually to pick up from the start their openers provide. Ayush Badoni started the last IPL season well, but his form declined after that.
Hooda could be the mid-table enforcer, but consistency will be a big ask for the young Indian player, who can be seen regularly in the national colors in the shortest format.
LSG Full IPL 2023 Schedule:
Match 1: April 1 – Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals, Lucknow (7:30 PM IST)
Match 2: 3 April – Chennai Super Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants, Chennai (7:30 PM IST)
Match 3: April 7 – Lucknow Super Giants vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Lucknow (7:30 PM IST)
Match 4: April 10 – Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Lucknow Super Giants, Bengaluru (3:30pm IST)
Match 5: April 15 – Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings, Lucknow (7:30 PM IST)
Match 6: April 19 – Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants, Jaipur (7:30 PM IST)
Match 7: April 22 – Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans, Lucknow (3:30pm IST)
Match 8: 28 Apr – Punjab Kings vs Lucknow Super Giants, Mohali (19:30 IST)
Match 9: May 1 – Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Lucknow (7:30 PM IST)
Match 10: May 4 – Lucknow Super Giants vs Chennai Super Kings, Lucknow (3:30pm IST)
Match 11: May 7 – Gujarat Titans vs Lucknow Super Giants, Ahmedabad (3:30 PM IST)
Match 12: 13 May – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Lucknow Super Giants, Hyderabad (3:30 PM IST)
Match 13: May 16 – Lucknow Super Giants vs Mumbai Indians, Lucknow (7:30 PM IST)
Match 14: May 20 – Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants, Kolkata (7:30 PM IST)
Strongest XI:
KL Rahul, Ayush Badoni, Nicholas Pooran, Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Krunal Pandya, Daniel Sams, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Mark Wood, Jaydev Unadkat
LSG full roster:
Players purchased in IPL 2023 auction: Yudhvir Charak (INR 20 lakh), Naveen-ul-Haq (INR 50 lakh), Swapnil Singh (INR 20 lakh), Prerak Mankad (INR 20 lakh), Amit Mishra (INR 50 lakh), Daniel Sams (INR 75 lakh) , Romario Shepherd (INR 50 lakh), Yash Thakur (INR 45 lakh), Jaydev Unadkat (INR 50 lakh), Nicholas Pooran (INR 16 crore),
Keep player: KL Rahul (c), Ayush Badoni, 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, Ravi Bishnoi.
With PTI inputs
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