LSG Best Playing XI For IPL 2026- Rishabh Pant To Bench Tendulkar?

LSG [Source: AFP Photos]

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) franchise has endured a frustrating dip in fortunes, considering they missed out in making it to the playoffs in each of the last two IPL seasons. Despite coming up with flashes of individual brilliance, LSG’s collective unit has struggled to sustain momentum when it has mattered the most.

With IPL 2026 on the horizon, the focus now shifts to assembling a combination that can finally restore their competitive edge under the leadership of Rishabh Pant.

The franchise retained as many as 19 players, including captain Pant and several other overseas stars like Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran in lieu of IPL 2026. The team management also acquired six cricketers on the day of the IPL 2026 auction in December last year.

After making some aggressive retentions and smart auction purchases, here is a look at the best possible playing XI of the LSG for the upcoming IPL 2026 season.

LSG Best Playing XI For IPL 2026

Openers and top order: Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran

In all likelihood, the LSG franchise will continue to operate with explosive overseas top-order batters like Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh as openers. The two cricketers were largely responsible for some of LSG’s flying starts in the powerplay and beyond, racking up some monumental totals in the process.

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Captain Rishabh Pant and fellow wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran will be expected to bat at interchangeable number three and number four positions for the team. If Markram and Marsh bat on for more than 10 overs at the top, captain Pant might promote Pooran in the batting order above him.

Batter	Runs	Average	Strike-rate
Mitchell Marsh	627	48.23	163.70
Nicholas Pooran	524	43.66	196.25
Aiden Markram	445	34.23	148.82

In hindsight, both hard-hitting left-handers are capable of either sustaining the early momentum laid by the openers or steering LSG’s recovery in the event of an early wicket.

While Markram, Marsh and Pooran were among the most productive batters for LSG in IPL 2025, Rishabh Pant struggled to justify his experience and a hefty price tag. On the back of an underwhelming season and repeated injury setbacks, Pant will be eager to make amends with a far more commanding presence in IPL 2026.

Middle order: Ayush Badoni, Mukul Choudhary, Abdul Samad

Uncapped Indian stars Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad will likely constitute LSG’s middle-order this IPL 2026 season alongside rising star Mukul Choudhary. Both Badoni and Samad are in exceptional form at the moment, with the latter of the two playing a key role in helping the Jammu and Kashmir team lift the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy title.

Samad also held a strike rate of 176.34 for the LSG in IPL 2025 last year. Badoni, on the other hand, struck at nearly 150 and aggregated 329 runs in just 11 innings of the tournament at an average of 32.90.

Rajasthan's explosive wicketkeeper-batter Mukul Choudhary will be expected to make his IPL debut in the upcoming season. The 21-year-old was among the three Indian stars acquired by the LSG franchise back during the IPL 2026 auction last December.

Bowlers: Wanindu Hasaranga, Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi, Mohammed Shami

Sri Lankan spinner and hard-hitting lower-order batter Wanindu Hasaranga is still awaiting his NoC from Sri Lanka Cricket to participate in IPL 2026. If he receives the clearance in the coming days, the 28-year-old is set to be an automatic pick in LSG’s starting XI, given his experience and all-round value.

Digvesh Rathi will serve as another specialist spinner for LSG, and will be expected to operate in the middle overs or right after the powerplay alongside Hasaranga.

While the franchise traded in Arjun Tendulkar from Mumbai Indians, the star fast bowler will likely spend the entire season on the sidelines.

Legendary Indian speedster Mohammed Shami will likely open the bowling, and will bat at number XI for the franchise. He will be assisted by fellow paceman Avesh Khan with the new ball.