Skipper Rishabh Pant Showed Lack of Trust in Ravi Bishnoi, Says Irfan Pathan as LSG’s IPL 2026 Strategy Explained

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head into the TATA IPL 2026 season with a clear shift in strategy-reduced overseas dependency and a stronger Indian fast-bowling core.

The franchise's auction approach and squad balance came under scrutiny on JioHotstar's TATA IPL Auction Review, where experts Irfan Pathan, Aakash Chopra, and Abhinav Mukund broke down LSG's key calls.

Pathan: Hasaranga Fills a Trust Gap

Assessing LSG's bowling upgrades, Pathan highlighted the impact of overseas recruits and raised questions about last season's usage of Ravi Bishnoi.

"Looking at Anrich Nortje and Hasaranga, LSG has very strong options, especially in the fast-bowling department, which was much needed," Pathan said. "If the fast bowlers stay fit, they form a formidable unit. Hasaranga is a big benefit-last

year, there was a lack of trust from captain Rishabh Pant in Ravi Bishnoi. Hasaranga, bought for ₹2 crore, is a solid and cost-effective addition. "

However, Pathan felt LSG could have bolstered their batting further. "With batsmen like Ayush Badoni and Abdul Samad, LSG could have done with one more top-class batter. I was hoping for someone like Livingstone. Overall, there's still a need for at least five more high-quality batsmen in the squad. "

Chopra: Lower-Order Batting Still a Concern

Aakash Chopra focused on LSG's batting order and the unresolved lower-order issues. "LSG has kept Rishabh Pant at number three, but the batting order remains a question mark," Chopra said. "Last season's top order was exceptional-three of the top four batsmen scored over 500 runs, which is very rare. The real issue has been the lower order; at five, six and seven, players like David Miller couldn't consistently deliver. "

Chopra acknowledged the bowling depth assembled for 2026-naming Wanindu Hasaranga, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav and Arjun Tendulkar-but added that "despite these improvements, the lower-order batting remains a concern that hasn't been fully addressed. "

Mukund Questions Josh Inglis Buy

Abhinav Mukund questioned the value of LSG's investment in Josh Inglis. "If you look at the batting order for LSG, they're very similar to SRH," Mukund said. "Buying Josh, even if he was available for the full season at that price, doesn't make sense because he's not going to be in the starting line-up. "

What It Means for LSG

The consensus from the panel suggests LSG have meaningfully upgraded their bowling, particularly pace, but still face questions around batting depth and roles, especially in the lower middle order. How effectively the management rotates bowlers and defines batting responsibilities could determine whether the 2026 blueprint delivers consistency across the season.

Fans can catch all the action from Indian Premier League 2026 live on JioHotstar and the Star Sports Network.