Three players Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) may release ahead of IPL 2023

Lucknow Super Giants finished 4th in IPL 2022.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) made an interesting debut in the IPL 2022, as they managed to qualify for the playoffs of the tournament in their first appearance in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The franchise owned by RPS Goenka and group did well for first-timers, finishing 4th in the tournament.

They had drafted in KL Rahul, Marcus Stoinis, and Ravi Bishnoi in their team ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction and then built a pretty impressive squad with the likes of Indian talents such as Manish Pandey, Deepak Hooda, Krunal Pandya, Avesh Khan and foreign reinforcements like Jason Holder, Quinton de Kock, Evin Lewis, Dushmantha Chameera amongst others.

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The surprise package for LSG in the first half of the tournament proved to be 22-year-old Ayush Badoni, who played the role of the finisher to a tee.

KL Rahul led from the front with 616 runs with 2 centuries, while Quinton de Kock slammed 508 runs and Deepak Hooda was on their heels with 451 runs, getting to bat from no.3-5 spots.

Dushmantha Chameera, Mohsin Khan, and Avesh Khan proved to be an excellent pace unit, with Jason Holder and Marcus Stoinis providing all-rounder duties.

But there were some players who couldn’t perform to the abilities they were expected to be and might not find themselves in the franchise next year in IPL 2023.

Here are the three players who LSG might release before IPL 2023, chosen by Team COC.

ANDREW TYE

The Australian fast bowler Andrew Tye was the first bowler in IPL history to pick up a hat-trick on his IPL debut and also took a fifer in the process when he turned out for Gujarat Lions in IPL 2017. The next year, he was bought by Punjab Kings and picked 24 wickets, and won the Purple Cap in IPL 2018. However, after that, franchises seemed to lose interest in Tye’s abilities as injuries hampered his progress.

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He had gone unsold in the IPL 2022 auction and was brought in by LSG as a replacement for Mark Wood. He played 3 matches and took 2 wickets only. Given how few chances he has been given lately, Tye may not be retained by LSG for IPL 2023.

EVIN LEWIS

Evin Lewis played 6 matches and made 73 runs with a best of 55* and took the best catch of IPL 2022 in an interesting game against Kolkata Knight Riders. Given that KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock opened for LSG, Lewis batted out of position at no.3 and struggled a bit once the powerplay overs were done.

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He was then dropped from the XI as LSG looked to fit both Marcus Stoinis and Jason Holder in the playing XI as the league stage neared its end. Lewis might be excellent as an opener, but has not transitioned well in the middle order, and hence LSG might let go of him ahead of IPL 2023 auction.

MANISH PANDEY

Manish Pandey is a veteran of the IPL and has played for a host of teams from IPL 2008 till now and has 3648 runs in 160 matches with an average of 29.90 and a strike rate of 121.52. He has hit one century and 21 fifties in the tournament.

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Though he was a match-winner for many teams, especially Kolkata Knight Riders for many seasons, his performance, along with his strike rate has gone down at a steady rate. In the last three seasons, he has made runs at strike rates of 127, 123 and 110, which are criminal for a batter who bats in the top three.

For LSG in IPL 2022,  he made 88 runs in 6 matches and struggled a lot. It has been very hard for Manish Pandey to justify the price tags he has gotten at auctions and despite being talented and even playing for India, the Karnataka batter has struggled in the IPL to get going. Therefore he may be released by LSG thanks to the performance of Deepak Hooda, ahead of IPL 2023.