As excitement grows for its upcoming edition Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Bangar have shared their assessment of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Squad. Bangar believes the franchise may struggle with finishing options in the batting lineup, but suggested that the spin-bowling all-rounder could emerge as a key player in that role during the course of the season.
The Lucknow-based franchise faced a disappointing campaign in IPL 2025, finishing seventh in the standings and missing out on the playoffs. Heading into the new season, the team appears to rely heavily on its strong top order, which includes Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooranand captain Rishabh Pant.
Sanjay Bangar names the finisher for LSG
Speaking on Star Sports, Bangar pointed out that the team lacks proven finishers in the middle and lower order who can consistently finish innings in high-pressure situations. According to him, the responsibility of performing well in the latter stages of the innings may fall on a small group of players.
Bangar said that apart from this Shahbaz Ahmed, Abdul Samad, And Ayush BadoniThe team does not have many options who naturally fit into the role of finisher. As a result, he stressed that the team’s top-order batsmen have to shoulder more responsibility to ensure strong scores.
The former India all-rounder suggested that Shahbaz can be used strategically at the end of the innings to add runs quickly. Taking inspiration from the experience of working with Shahbaz during his tenure Royal Challengers BangaloreBangar appreciated the nature and fighting spirit of the player.
Bangar described Shahbaz as a cricketer with strong character and resilience, qualities that could prove valuable in pressure situations. He said that the all-rounder’s ability to remain composed can help LSG in tough matches.
“Apart from Shahbaz Ahmed, Abdul Samad and Ayush Badoni, they don’t have any other players who can fit in there. So the top five will have to do more, and you can expect Shahbaz to come in and provide the finishing touch,” Bangar said on Star Sports.
“He is a player of great character. He was with me at RCB. So I know the kind of fighting qualities he has. So you would definitely want the top order to perform the way they are doing in international cricket at the moment, or the way Nicholas Pooran shot to fame last year. If the top order doesn’t perform well, this team will face difficulties throughout the season.” Bangar was added.
Also read: Sanjay Bangar chose his Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) playing eleven for IPL 2026.
IPL 2025 statistics show mixed results
A look at last season’s stats highlights the concerns raised by Bangar. Shahbaz played only three matches for Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025 and could only score nine runs in his only batting opportunity. In contrast, Badoni showed promise with the bat and scored 329 runs in 11 innings at an impressive strike rate of 148.19. Samad also made useful contributions and scored 164 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 176.34. Despite these contributions, Lucknow struggled to finish innings consistently, a factor that played a role in their mid-table finish.
Also read: Sanjay Bangar announces his Punjab Kings playing XI for IPL 2026
