Lucknow Super Giants walked into the IPL 2026 auction with Rs 22.95 crore left in their kitty and wasted little time making a move. Their opening acquisition was Wanindu Hasaranga, the Sri Lankan spin bowling all-rounder, snapped up at his base value of Rs 2 crore without any counter bids. The leg spinner had been let go by the Rajasthan Royals before the auction.
Hasaranga enjoyed a standout IPL 2022 campaign with 26 scalps but struggled to hit similar heights over the next two editions. Despite recent inconsistencies, LSG opted for the 34-year-old to address their thinning spin stocks following Ravi Bishnoi’s release.
Lucknow Super Giants made a smart move by signing South African pacer Anrich Nortje at his base price of Rs 2 crore. The speedster had been released by the Kolkata Knight Riders before the IPL 2026 auction.
Nortje comes with considerable IPL experience, having played 48 matches and claimed 61 wickets. With his blistering pace and towering bowling action, he continues to be one of the most challenging fast bowlers in world cricket.
In another eye-catching purchase, LSG splashed Rs 2.60 crore on uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Mukul Choudhary. The auction saw the Mumbai Indians open the bidding at RS 30 lakh, while LSG jumped in at RS 1.10 crore and ultimately secured the promising youngster for RS 2.60 crore.
Lucknow Super Giants: Complete List of Players Bought in IPL 2026 Auction: Anrich Nortje (Rs 2 crore), Wanindu Hasaranga (Rs 2 crore), Naman Tiwari (1 crore) Mukul Choudhary (Rs 2.60 crore).
Players Retained: Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant (c), Nicholas Pooran, Arshin Kulkarni, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Akash Singh. Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Traded in: Mohammed Shami (from SRH), Arjun Tendulkar (from MI).
Released Players: Aryan Juyal, David Miller, Ravi Bishnoi, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Shardul Thakur (traded to MI), Akash Deep, and Shamar Joseph.