Published: March 24, 2026 at 7:10 pm
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) enter the new IPL season buoyed by a stellar auction, a fit fast-bowling contingent and captain Rishabh Pant, who is looking refreshed and rejuvenated as he returns from injury. Head coach Justin Langer would not ask for anything better ahead of the 2026 season.
What plans does the head coach have for the new season. “It’s been a brilliant build-up. I think we had a very good auction and that’s where it starts. We had a great base last year. I think our batting was number one in the competition last year. We weren’t able to capitalise on that, but this year, we’ve added to our squad. There will be some really tough selection calls. But if our batting can keep firing and our bowling can keep developing, then we’ve got a very good team,” Langer said on JioStar’s IPL Today Live show.
Tom Moody, our new director of cricket, built this squad at the auction with elite professionalism. Bharat Arun isn’t just a bowling coach. He’s the mentor and the general, says LSG head coach Justin Langer
On Mohammed Shami mentoring Mayank Yadav, Langer said: “During the team lunch, Mohammed Shami was speaking and all the boys were hanging on his every word, their eyes never left him. He’s incredibly experienced, a true warrior. We often discuss big brother-little brother or master-apprentice dynamics in coaching, and that’s exactly what we have here.”
If Pant is smiling and laughing that makes him dangerous: Langer
On Rishabh Pant as a captain, the former Australian player went gaga. “If we see Rishabh laughing, smiling and having fun, he’ll be a brilliant captain, and that’s what we learned last year. He joined a new franchise, trying hard to impress, which is natural. But we’re already seeing a lighter Rishabh. He knows the players now and we’ve got his back. He’s smiling a lot and dancing. When he’s like that and starts playing cricket, there’s no one more exciting to watch in the world. I can’t wait to work with him again. He’s got such a nice heart, energy, and he’s relaxed. That makes him dangerous,” Langer added.
Pant: We felt we needed to add more to our bowling; Arun can contribute a lot in this area
On a transformed pre-season setup, the coach said: “In recent years, pretty much every bowler has arrived post-surgery or injury, building momentum during the season. But this pre-season, we’ve established a top medical department under Patrick Farhart. Tom Moody, our new director of cricket, built this squad at the auction with elite professionalism. Bharat Arun isn’t just a bowling coach. He’s the mentor and the general.”
