table of contents
Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson is reportedly set to get a bigger role at Lucknow Supergiants despite the team’s disappointing performance in IPL 2026. LSG finished at the bottom of the IPL 2026 points table and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year.
Earlier this year, Williamson was appointed as a strategic advisor to LSG. After a disappointing season for LSG, head coach Justin Langer and captain Rishabh Pant are under criticism for reportedly not delivering results.
Williamson is currently playing for New Zealand in the one-off Test match against Ireland in Belfast.
Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2026
After finishing seventh in IPL 2025, LSG made some changes to their coaching staff, but head coach Justin Langer and bowling coach Bharat Arun retained their jobs. LSG’s performance in IPL 2026 was no better than last time.
After winning two of their first three matches, the franchise lost 6 consecutive matches, with captain Rishabh Pant and head coach Justin Langer unable to put things together. LSG was the first team to be eliminated from the playoff race in IPL 2026 despite consolation wins in their last few matches.
Pant and Langer under fire
As reported by RevSportz, both Rishabh Pant and Justin Langer are in the line of fire and may, in fact, lose their jobs. Pant was signed by LSG for Rs 27 crore ahead of the IPL 2025 auction and he has performed well neither with the bat nor as a leader.
Langer has also not achieved any significant results as a head coach. His departure as head coach of the Australian national team also took place under controversial circumstances. Langer was appointed to his current role after IPL 2023, following the exit of Zimbabwe’s Andy Flower.
Under Flowers, LSG made the playoffs twice in two years, but never made the top four in three years under Langer. Flower has been with Royal Challengers Bangalore ever since and led them to the IPL title last year.
Pant was also criticized by many experts for lacking effective leadership and not converting his potential into results. According to the report, Bharat Arun’s job seems safe considering the success of uncapped pacers like Prince Yadav and Mohsin Khan in IPL 2026. Prince was recently called into the Indian team for the ODI against Afghanistan next month.
Contrary to earlier reports, Pant and LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka are not at odds with each other yet, and any decision on Pant’s future will be purely cricket related. Those decisions have been postponed for the future.
Kane Williamson’s relationship with LSG management
Kane Williamson’s role with LSG is more than just being appointed strategic advisor for IPL 2026. Earlier this year, he played for the Durban Supergiants in the SA20 following his IPL appointment.
Reportedly, he has gained respect in the LSG dressing room in his short stay and could even replace Langer. His pedigree as a cricketer makes him an attractive option compared to Tom Moody, who is currently LSG’s global director of cricket operations.
On Williamson’s appointment, Goenka said, “His leadership, strategic insight, deep understanding of the game and ability to motivate players make him an invaluable contribution to the team.”
“We’ll Consider All Things” – Tom Moody
After LSG’s last match of the season, Tom Moody said in the post-match press conference that the team would conduct a thorough review of the season and decide what steps should be taken.
“From a captaincy point of view, you know, he (Pant) has found it challenging, and the results reflect that,” he said. “And you have to wonder if that pressure is there and that shows in his performances with the bat. I know this season has been a tough season for us, but we will consider it, we will take time, we will consider it. We will consider all things.”
“Like every department, when you reflect on a season, we’ll be making some considered decisions, but it certainly feels like we need to consider a reset,” he said.
Also read: CSK finally react to rumors of Rahul Dravid as head coach