LSG IPL 2025 Squad Analysis: Can Rishabh Pant Erase KL Rahul's Run Of Bad Luck?

LSG team in IPL 2024 [Source: iplt20.com]

The Indian Premier League has seen numerous teams rise and fall over its history, with established franchises like Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians traditionally dominating the competition. Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), one of the newer entrants to the league, made their debut in IPL 2022 and have been working to establish themselves as a formidable force in the tournament.

Team Overview and Recent Performance

Lucknow Super Giants have shown promising signs since their entry into the IPL, making the playoffs in their initial seasons. Their strategic approach to team building has been focused on creating a balanced squad with specific strengths in different phases of the game. As we approach IPL 2025, it's crucial to analyse their current squad composition and understand how they might perform in the upcoming season.

LSG IPL 2025 Full Squad

Batters: Rishabh Pant, Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni. Matthew Breetzke, Aryan Juyal, David Miller, Nicholas Pooran
All-rounder: Yuvraj Chaudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Arshin Kulkarni, Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed
Bowlers: Akash Deep, Akash Singh, Avesh Khan, Shamar Joseph, Mohsin Khan, Prince Yadav, Digvesh Rathi, Ravi Bishnoi, Manimaran Siddharth, Mayank Yadav

LSG Squad Composition Analysis

This composition shows LSG's approach of maintaining a balanced squad while ensuring they have specialist options for different situations.

Batting Impact Index (BII): A composite metric measuring batting effectiveness by combining strike rate (40%), average (35%), balls per boundary (15%), and strike rotation (10%), normalised to a 0-100 scale.

Bowling Effectiveness Index (BEI): A comprehensive bowling metric that weights economy rate (40%), balls per wicket (35%), balls per boundary (15%), and dot ball percentage (10%), normalised to a 0-100 scale.

Player Value Index (PVI): An overall player rating that combines BII and BEI according to a player's batting and bowling contributions, weighted by the proportion of balls faced versus balls bowled.

For relevancy datas of IPL 2023 and 2024 has been considered.

LSG Performance radar chart [Source: OneCricket]

Strengths of LSG for IPL 2025

1. Explosive Powerplay Batting

LSG features some of the most aggressive powerplay batters in the tournament-

Inference: With Nicholas Pooran leading their powerplay assault, supported by the aggressive intent of Mitchell Marsh and Rishabh Pant, LSG possesses the firepower to capitalise on field restrictions and set up imposing totals or chase challenging targets with confidence.

2. Depth In All-Round Options

Inference: The presence of quality all-rounders gives LSG exceptional tactical flexibility, allowing them to adapt their strategy based on match conditions and opposition weaknesses. The visualisation above shows the batting and bowling contribution matrices of LSG's key all-rounders, highlighting Mitchell Marsh's exceptional bowling contribution combined with solid batting capabilities.

Ravi Bishnoi [Source: @dr_artisticsoul/x.com]

Weaknesses of LSG for IPL 2025

1. Death Overs Batting Vulnerability

Without established death overs specialists, LSG may struggle to accelerate adequately during the final phase of innings, particularly when chasing steep targets or looking to set imposing totals. The management will hope that players like Nicholas Pooran and David Miller carry their innings to the death phase and help them get some powerful finishes.

2. Over-Reliance on Key Players

LSG's performance heavily depends on a few star performers:

Inference: The concentrated influence of a small group of players makes LSG vulnerable to fluctuations in form or injuries to these key contributors.

LSG player performance heatmap [Source: OneCricket]

Opportunities And Threats For LSG In IPL 2025

Phase-Wise Vulnerability Assessment

Inference: While middle-overs bowling represents LSG's greatest strength, death overs batting emerges as their most significant vulnerability. Teams that can restrict LSG's scoring in the powerplay and then apply pressure at the death may gain a significant advantage.

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X-Factor Player: Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran [Source: @cricbuzz/x.com]

Nicholas Pooran stands out as LSG's most impactful player, with his ability to dominate opposition attacks across different phases of the game.

• Powerplay dominance: His exceptional 81.87 rating in the powerplay makes him one of the most feared batters in the initial overs.
• Middle-overs acceleration: With a strong 68.36 rating in the middle overs, he maintains momentum through the building phase.
• Left-handed advantage: Provides crucial batting variety in a predominantly right-handed lineup, creating difficult match-ups for opposition bowlers.
• Match-winning potential: Despite inconsistency concerns, his ability to single-handedly change the course of a match makes him LSG's most valuable asset with a team-leading PVI of 65.43.

Strategic Overseas Player Selection

The four overseas player limit necessitates strategic choices. LSG's optimal configuration prioritizes:

Nicholas Pooran - Elite batting option
Mitchell Marsh - Invaluable all-rounder
Aiden Markram - Versatile middle-order batter
David Miller - Finishing specialist

This configuration balances batting depth with all-round capabilities while maximizing impact across different phases of the game.

Situation-Specific Playing XIs

When Batting First

Mitchell Marsh ✈️ - Aggressive opener
Aiden Markram ✈️ - Stable Opener
Ayush Badoni - Young talent
Nicholas Pooran ✈️ - Explosive middle-order batter
Rishabh Pant - Anchor, Captain
David Miller ✈️ - Finisher
Shahbaz Ahmed - Spin all-rounder
Ravi Bishnoi - Leg-spinner
Avesh Khan - Pacer
Mohsin Khan - Left-arm variety
Mayank Yadav - Express pace

Impact Player Substitution (2nd Innings)

REMOVE: Ayush Badoni (batting specialist)
ADD: Akash Deep (powerplay bowling specialist)

Strategic Logic: After posting a competitive total, LSG can strengthen their bowling attack by bringing in Akash Deep, who excels in the powerplay phase with his movement and accuracy. This allows them to apply early pressure and defend totals more effectively.

When Bowling First (Optimal XI)

Mitchell Marsh ✈️ - All-rounder and opener
Aiden Markram ✈️ - Stable opener
Nicholas Pooran ✈️ - Explosive batter
Rishabh Pant - Anchor, Captain
David Miller ✈️ - Finisher
Shahbaz Ahmed - Spin all-rounder
Ravi Bishnoi - Leg-spinner
Avesh Khan - Pacer
Mohsin Khan - Left-arm variety
Mayank Yadav - Express pace
Akash Deep - Powerplay specialist

Impact Player Substitution (2nd Innings)

REMOVE: Akash Deep (powerplay specialist)
ADD: Ayush Badoni (middle-order accelerator)

Strategic Logic: Begin with bowling strength to restrict targets, then substitute Akash Deep with Ayush Badoni's batting prowess for the chase. This maximizes resources for each phase, adding valuable batting depth without compromising bowling effectiveness in the first innings.

Predictions For LSG In IPL 2025

Title Prospects: LSG enters IPL 2025 with a talented but somewhat unbalanced squad. Their exceptional middle-overs bowling and quality top-order batting position them as playoff contenders, but not necessarily favorites. In the hyper-competitive IPL landscape where margins are extremely thin, LSG will need several factors to align for a deep playoff run.

X-Factor: The Nicholas Pooran-Mitchell Marsh combination provides LSG with match-winning potential on their day. However, both players have shown inconsistency at the IPL level in previous seasons. If these two find consistency throughout the tournament, LSG could exceed expectations, but banking on this remains risky.

Vulnerability: Death overs batting remains a significant concern that top teams will consistently exploit. With only David Miller as a finisher who can reliably score at 170+ strike rates in the final phase, LSG will struggle in tight run chases and setting imposing totals. With the league's increasing emphasis on death overs firepower, this weakness could be the difference between qualification and missing out.

Final Verdict: A realistic expectation for LSG in IPL 2025 is finishing in the 5th-7th position range. While they have the talent to push for a playoff spot, their squad imbalances and key-phase weaknesses will likely be exploited by stronger, more complete teams. Their playoff qualification will depend heavily on:

• Nicholas Pooran maintaining consistency throughout the season
• At least one Indian player (likely Ayush Badoni) making a breakthrough as a reliable death overs batter
• Optimal usage of the impact player rule to mitigate their weaknesses
• Favorable results in close matches

The competition for playoff spots is fiercer than ever with established powerhouses like Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, and Rajasthan Royals, along with rising teams like Gujarat Titans and Sunrisers Hyderabad. While LSG has the potential to surprise, a more realistic outcome is finishing just outside the playoff positions with 6-7 wins from their 14 matches.

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