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LSG hire new coaching staff for IPL 2026 [Source: X]
In a significant development, LSG have appointed former Uganda head coach Abhay Sharma as their fielding coach for the IPL 2026 season. The former cricketer, who represented Delhi and Railways in the domestic circuit, replaces South African legend Jonty Rhodes, who served the role until the end of the IPL 2025 season.
LSG had a torrid run in the IPL 2025, missing out on the playoffs following a string of middling performances in the group stage. The Rishabh Pant-led side emerged victorious on six occasions, finishing the tournament at seventh in the ten-team points table.
Abhay Sharma: The latest addition to LSG for IPL 2026
The SuperGiants' lean patch in the 2025 edition of the tournament prompted the Sanjeev Goenka-led management to make wholesale changes to their coaching staff. They have also amended their team logo, also re-designing their team jersey for the upcoming season.
Although legendary Australian batter Justin Langer retained his position as the head coach of the team, LSG sacked several high-profile names, bidding adieu to Zaheer Khan, who served as their team mentor.
Also read: Rishabh Pant's IPL 2026 Injury Update For Lucknow Super Giants Issued
Abhay Sharma is the latest addition to the LSG coaching staff for the IPL 2026. The franchise has assigned him the fielding coach's role, having already roped in the experienced Trans-Tasman duo of Tom Moody and Kane Williamson as key decision-makers.
While Moody was appointed LSG's global director of cricket, Williamson joined the franchise as their strategic advisor.
Abhay Sharma's coaching credentials
It's worth noting that Abhay Sharma was Uganda's head coach when the African nation scripted history by qualifying for the T20 World Cup 2024. Thus, he brings international experience to the table, enriching the LSG coaching staff for the IPL 2026 season.
Additionally, the former cricketer was part of the India U-19 team's title-winning campaign in 2018, having worked closely with marquee cricketers like Shubman Gill, Prithvi Shaw and Arshdeep Singh.
Being a wicket-keeper, Abhay Sharma has mentored the decorated duo of Rishabh Pant and Dhruv Jurel, while also helping Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan.
The ex-cricketer has coached the Indian women's team too, ensuring plenty of coaching experience in the LSG setup.
Abhay Sharma's career and stats
Hailed for his gritty batting and neat wicket-keeping skills, Abhay Sharma represented Delhi and Railways across 129 domestic matches. He was a prominent face in the First-Class circuit, playing 89 matches in the red-ball format.
On the contrary, his participation in white-ball cricket was relatively limited, as he could play only 40 matches in the List-A format. Abhay was impressive in First-Class cricket, amassing 4105 runs across 128 innings. He smashed 29 fifty-plus scores, converting nine of them into impactful centuries.
Meanwhile, his List-A numbers are modest, as he finished his career with 780 runs, including one fifty, in 35 white-ball innings. However, Sharma showcased brilliance as a potent option behind the stumps, accounting for 210 dismissals, including 165 catches and 45 stumpings, across formats.
Considering that he is an influential figure in Delhi cricket and has worked closely with LSG's current captain, Rishabh Pant, Abhay is expected to turn the SuperGiants into a formidable fielding side in the IPL.
Also read: Sri Lanka Suffer Third-Biggest Defeat In T20 World Cup History
