With IPL 2025 on the horizon, the Lucknow Super Giants face a crucial decision in selecting their new captain. The team has three standout contenders, each bringing unique leadership qualities and experience. This choice could shape the franchise’s performance and strategy for the season, making it a pivotal moment for Lucknow’s campaign.
Lucknow Super Giants released KL Rahul before the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) were among the busiest teams during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. Focused on addressing critical gaps, LSG aimed to bolster their pace-bowling unit and reinforce their middle order for the upcoming season.
The franchise secured Indian pacers Avesh Khan and Akash Deep for INR 9.75 crores and INR 8 crores, respectively, significantly strengthening their fast-bowling arsenal.
To reduce their over-reliance on Nicholas Pooran’s power-hitting, LSG enhanced their middle order by acquiring the experienced David Miller and explosive Abdul Samad. Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh also joined the squad, replacing Marcus Stoinis, who was released earlier.
The highlight of the auction for LSG was their record-breaking signing of Rishabh Pant for INR 27 crores. This move not only made Pant the most expensive player in IPL history but also provided LSG with a marquee player capable of turning games single-handedly.
With KL Rahul released, the team now faces the challenge of appointing a new captain for the upcoming season. In this article, we delve into three potential candidates who could lead LSG in IPL 2025.
Three players who can captain Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025:
1. Nicholas Pooran
Widely regarded as one of the most destructive batsmen in limited-overs cricket, Nicholas Pooran could be a strong contender for the LSG captaincy next season.
Pooran has emerged as one of the faces of LSG in the last couple of seasons and is a certain starter in the playing XI. He has smashed 857 runs in two seasons for LSG at a strike rate of 175.
Pooran has also previously led West Indies in 17 ODIs and 23 T20Is. Notably, Pooran was retained by the franchise for INR 21 crores before the mega auction.
2. Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant’s prior experience of leading Delhi Capitals (DC) and being one of the stars of the Indian cricket team make him a strong favourite for the leadership role at LSG. Being the most expensive player in the history of the league, Pant will be the poster boy for the Super Giants.
Pant boasts an impressive batting record in IPL with 3284 runs in 111 innings at a healthy batting average of 35. Pant can inject fresh enthusiasm into the franchise.
3. Aiden Markram
South African batsman Aiden Markram is another captaincy candidate that LSG have. Having captained South Africa across all three formats, Markram carries vast experience in leadership.
Additionally, the Proteas batter boats an excellent captaincy record with Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20 league. He led the franchise to back-to-back title wins in 2022 and 2023 seasons. He captained SRH in IPL 2023, though not with satisfying results.