Samira Vishwas
Tezzbuzz|18-03-2026
There are less than 10 days left for the start of IPL 2026 and all the teams have started their preparations for the 19th season of the tournament. Like always, this time also 10 out of 10 teams are looking strong, but if we talk about one team which can prove to be a dark horse this time, then that team will be Lucknow Super Giants led by Rishabh Pant. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) is a very unique team. This is one of the few teams in this tournament which mostly depends on foreign batsmen for its batting. LSG has the most dangerous batting in the entire tournament and if the team has to do well this year then there will be a lot of responsibility on three players, so let us tell you who those three players will be.
3. Mitchell Marsh
Last year was Mitchell Marsh’s first season in the IPL for LSG and it proved to be the best season of his career. This Australian batsman scored 627 runs at an average of 48.23 and his strike rate was 163.70. At the end of the 2025 season, he was the leading run-scorer for this Lucknow team. Marsh will once again open for LSG along with Aiden Markram. In such a situation, if Marsh’s form remains the same then he can play an important role in taking his team to the playoffs.
2. Rishabh Pant
Lucknow Super Giants captain and star batsman Rishabh Pant is also set to play his second season for LSG. This wicketkeeper-batsman could not do anything in the last IPL season but there will be a lot of expectations from him in the upcoming season. Last season, he scored only 269 runs and his average was 24.45. If Lucknow has to change its fortunes this season, it will be necessary for Pant to explode with the bat.
1. Nicholas Pooran
Nicholas Pooran was the best batsman for LSG last time and it is expected that he will continue to play in the same style in the 2026 IPL season as well. This dreaded West Indian batsman scored a total of 524 runs for Lucknow last season at a strike-rate of 196.25 and an average of 43.66. However, this time Puran is not in much form in the IPL. This left-handed batsman has retired from international cricket, which means he did not play in the 2026 T20 World Cup. He last played professional cricket in SA20 for MI Cape Town, where he scored only 152 runs at an average of 16.88, but everyone is aware of Puran’s ability and if Puran’s bat is good, he has the ability to single-handedly turn the match and the Lucknow team will expect some explosive innings from him.
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