IPL 2025: Lucknow Super Giants SWOT Analysis

In this article, we offer you our SWOT analysis of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) following the IPL 2025 Mega Auction. 

Strength

After missing out on the playoffs last season on net run rate, Sanjiv Goenka and the LSG management have gone for an explosive batting lineup for this time round. Right from their probable openers in Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram to their #7 batter in Shahbaz Ahmed, the Super Giants have players who can change the course of the game within a couple of overs. 

Although their opening pair has struggled for runs since the ODI World Cup in November 2023, the trio of Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant, and David Miller have been in good form. Add to that the strong pace-bowling contingent that’ll be training under India great Zaheer Khan, the likes of Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, and Rajvardhan Hangargekar should be expected to only get better from hereon. 

In all, the Super Giants have a playing XI that can take on any team and get the better of them on any given day. 

Weakness

On paper, the LSG spin-bowling department looks light. With Ravi Bishnoi being their lone out-and-out spinner, the Super Giants might struggle in low, turning tracks. While the likes of Shahbaz Ahmed and Aiden Markram can provide cover with their finger spinning, there’s not enough penetration in the spin attack to trouble opposition batters too much. 

Moreover, Bishnoi had a season to forget last year. After picking up 16 wickets in 2023, the 24-year-old could only manage ten wickets last campaign at an economy rate of 8.77. Thus, for a team looking to go to the top next season, their spin department could turn out to be their Achilles Heel. 

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Opportunity

The Super Giants boast, without a doubt, the best fast-bowling contingent in the IPL for the coming season. To support the young duo of Mayank Yadav and Mohsin Khan, the team have brought in a whole raft of talented quick bowlers. The likes of Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, and Shamar Joseph should easily make the playing XI, while the likes of Mitchell Marsh can also be expected to chip in with a couple of overs, with Rajvardhan Hangargekar as further backup. 

With their overseas batters’ dilemma, any unavailability or injury concern will make way for the likes of Arshin Kulkarni and Himmat Singh. The latter in particular had an excellent Delhi Premier League campaign and followed it up with an even more impressive outing in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. 

Threat

Despite boasting one of the best playing XIs in the league, the Super Giants have left themselves light in the backup for their overseas batters. Their top five in the batting order comprises four overseas players, with the management most likely to go with Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram as their opening batters. This leaves South Africa international Matthew Breetzke as the only overseas batter left in the squad, and he too is an opener, which makes him a suitable substitute, though this leaves no cover for the likes of Nicholas Pooran and David Miller in the middle order. 

Injuries to any one of the four overseas batters can offset the balance of this side, and the domino effect could see issues trickle down to the bowlers, resulting in one of the Indian bowlers making way for Shamar Joseph for an Indian batter to come in on the other end.

Probable XII

Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant (wk), David Miller, Ayush Badoni, Shahbaz Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Akash Deep (Impact Sub) 

Prediction: 2nd