IPL 2023: 5 Players Lucknow Super Giants might release ahead of mini-auction

Lucknow Super Giants assembled a power-packed side for the 15th edition of the Indian Premier League and had the personnel to go all the way in their debut season. Under the leadership of KL Rahul, LSG played some phenomenal cricket and finished the group stage with nine wins under their belt.

However, they succumbed under pressure and lost the Eliminator to Royal Challengers Bangalore in what was an exciting contest. 

The upcoming IPL season has started to spread its wings already as teams are asked to submit their list of retained players by November 15 with the mini-auction expected to be held in the third week of December. The Lucknow franchise will also have some brainstorming to do and identify players who do not fit into the scheme of things going ahead.

Let us look at the players LSG might release ahead of the auction:

5. Ankit Rajpoot

Ankit Rajpoot has been associated with the marquee T20 tournament since 2013. However, it was in 2018 when the Kanpur-born rose to prominence which saw him bag 11 wickets in eight matches for Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) including a sensational five-wicket haul against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

However, the 28-year-old has not been able to deliver since the 2018 season. The Lucknow franchise decided to invest in Rajpoot and picked him at this year’s mega auction. It was a chance for the Uttar Pradesh pacer to redeem himself but unfortunately, he did not get even a single game.

KL Rahul & company drafted Mohsin Khan into the XI ahead of Rajpoot and the left-arm seamer did not disappoint. He wreaked havoc with the ball and picked up 14 wickets in nine games at a superb economy of 5.97. 

The 24-year-old (Mohsin Khan) and Avesh Khan formed a formidable pair and the duo shall be central to the team’s plans going ahead as well. And there is a high possibility of Rajpoot warming the bench. Thus, the Lucknow management might release him in the build-up to the upcoming auction.