The Lucknow Super Giants, captained by Rishabh Pant, have made some strategic decisions ahead of the IPL 2026 auction by retaining 19 players. The retention list includes some big names, with Pant and Nicholas Pooran being the costliest retentions at INR 27 and INR 21 crore, respectively. Despite playing only two matches last year, the team showed their faith in fast bowler Mayank Yadav by retaining him for a whopping INR 11 crore. Avesh Khan was also retained for INR 9.75 crore.
Among the uncapped players, Ayush Badoni was a standout retention at INR 4 crore. Additionally, promising leg-spinner Digvesh Rathi was retained at his base price. Overseas players like Aiden Markram (INR 2 crore) and Mitchell Marsh (INR 3.40 crore) were also notable retentions.
In a surprising move, the Super Giants acquired Mohammad Shami and Arjun Tendulkar through trade and transfer deals from SunRisers Hyderabad and Mumbai Indians, respectively. Shami came in at his existing price of INR 10 crore, while Tendulkar joined the team for INR 30 lakh.
On the other hand, the team released some key players, including Ravi Bishnoi (INR 11 crore), Akash Deep (INR 8 crore), and David Miller (INR 7.5 crore). Shamar Joseph was also let go for INR 75 lakh.
It’s important to note that LSG finished seventh in the IPL 2025 points table with six wins in 14 matches.
Here is the complete list of retained players and their prices for the upcoming auction:
– Rishabh Pant (INR 27 crore)
– Nicholas Pooran (INR 21 crore)
– Mayank Yadav (INR 11 crore)
– Mohsin Khan (INR 4 crore)
– Ayush Badoni (INR 4 crore)
– Aiden Markram (INR 2 crore)
– Mitchell Marsh (INR 3.40 crore)
– Avesh Khan (INR 9.75 crore)
– Abdul Samad (INR 4.20 crore)
– Himmat Singh (INR 30 lakh)
– M. Siddharth (INR 75 lakh)
– Digvesh Singh (INR 30 lakh)
– Shahbaz Ahmed (INR 2.40 crore)
– Akash Singh (INR 30 lakh)
– Prince Yadav (INR 30 lakh)
– Arshin Kulkarni (INR 30 lakh)
– Matthew Breetzke (INR 75 lakh)
– Mohammad Shami (INR 10 crore)
– Arjun Tendulkar (INR 30 lakh)
The team has a remaining purse of INR 22.95 crore for the auction, with 4 overseas slots and 2 Indian slots left to fill.
Overall, the Lucknow Super Giants have made some bold moves in their retention strategy, and fans will be eagerly awaiting the IPL 2026 auction to see how the team shapes up for the upcoming season.
