IPL 2026 Release and Retention List: Lucknow Super Giants ended their 2025 IPL season in seventh place after winning only six out of their 14 matches. Because of this weak result, the team now has many important choices to make before the IPL 2026 retention deadline arrives on November 15.
Owner Sanjiv Goenka said the team has already started talking about which players they want to keep and which ones they may release. The team faced many problems last season because some expensive players did not perform well, the balance of the team felt wrong in many key moments, and the squad did not have enough depth.
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Core Players Likely to Stay With LSG
Even after a tough year, LSG still has some strong players they want to keep for the next season. The franchise looks ready to hold on to Rishabh Pant even though he did not play many games.
They also feel confident about young domestic players like Ayush Badoni, who scored 329 runs in IPL 2025 with an average of 32.90 and a strike rate of 148.20. The management also feels happy with the progress of Digvesh Rathi, who has grown into a useful all rounder for the team.
LSG is almost sure to keep Nicholas Pooran, who stays their biggest match-winner in the middle order. He is also very important in the leadership group and brings calmness during pressure moments. Avesh Khan is another player likely to stay because he made a strong comeback with his pace and good death overs bowling. LSG wants to build the new team around these players and hopes they can form a strong core for the 2026 season.
Several Players Expected to Leave the Squad
With the need to reshape the team, LSG plans to let go of some players who could not deliver last season. One exit is already confirmed. Shardul Thakur has been traded to Mumbai Indians for ₹2 crore. Shardul did not find a buyer during the auction and later joined LSG as an injury replacement.
He played 10 matches but could not give the kind of bowling impact the team hoped for. Since LSG wants more steady pace options, the trade felt like a sensible decision before the upcoming auction.
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Lucknow Super Giants’ Probable Retained Players: Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, Digvesh Rathi, Mitchell Marsh, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, Abdul Samad, Aiden Markram, Aryan Juyal, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahamad, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Arshin Kulkarni, M. Siddharth, , William O’Rourke, Akash Singh
LSG’s Probable Released Players:Shamar Joseph, Himmat Singh, Abdul Samad, Matthew Breetzke, Prince Yadav, Yuvraj Chaudhary
LSG’s Probable Trades:David Miller
