LSG strongest playing 11 plus Impact Player options for IPL 2025 ft. Mitchell Marsh & Ravi Bishnoi

After three seasons without much success in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) pulled the plug on their existing project and rang in a number of changes ahead of the 2025 auction. But it's hard to say whether the two-time playoff participants are any better off this year.

Having released KL Rahul, LSG needed a new skipper and broke the bank for Rishabh Pant. However, they enter the final week of pre-season with plenty of injury concerns and a rather imbalanced playing XI. While there's plenty of talent on the roster, the Super Giants will need to play at their absolute best if they are to challenge the stronger sides.

LSG's squad for IPL 2025: Aiden Markram, David Miller, Ayush Badoni, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Aryan Juyal, Abdul Samad, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Yuvraj Chaudhary, Rajvardhan Hangargekar, Arshin Kulkarni, Ravi Bishnoi, M Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, Akash Singh, Shamar Joseph, Prince Yadav.

On that note, here is LSG's strongest XI, apart from a set of impact player options, for IPL 2025.

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Openers: Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh

South Africa v England - ICC Champions Trophy 2025 - Source: Getty

There's merit to captain Rishabh Pant opening the batting, especially with the middle order having a couple of overseas left-handers in it already. But LSG will likely need both Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh to be played in their preferable roles where they can take on pace, and that's in the powerplay.

Marsh has been cleared to play as a specialist batter, which is a blow to LSG. They don't have an easy way to give themselves a fourth pace option, and their frontline fast bowlers are all dealing with injury concerns at the moment.

However, Markram and Marsh have immense ability against pace, and Lucknow will hope that they can deliver against the new ball.

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Middle Order: Rishabh Pant (c & wk), Nicholas Pooran, Ayush Badoni, David Miller, Shahbaz Ahmed

IPL 2024: Rajasthan Royals Vs Lucknow Super Giants In Jaipur - Source: Getty

Pant could slot in at No. 3, with Nicholas Pooran, David Miller and Ayush Badoni following him in the batting order. Pooran and Miller will have a lot on their shoulders, particularly if the Ekana wicket is two-paced.

Left-arm spinner Shahbaz Ahmed should round off the middle order, with LSG having the option of bringing in a batting impact sub to beef up the finishing if needed.

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Lower Order: Mohsin Khan, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan

Delhi Capitals vs Lucknow Super Giants - 2024 Indian Premier League - Source: Getty

Ravi Bishnoi, who was retained ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, will be the team's frontline spinner.

Unfortunately for LSG, all three of Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan and Mayank Yadav haven't joined the camp yet. There has been no official word on the trio, and some reports suggest that the likes of Shardul Thakur and Shivam Mavi are in line to replace them. However, for now, we can assume that they will feature at some point in the competition.

Akash Deep could come in for them, apart from the aforementioned names, if they don't make the grade.

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Impact Player Options - Abdul Samad, Akash Deep, M Siddharth, Arshin Kulkarni

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Abdul Samad is the most obvious choice to be LSG's impact player as they need his finishing ability lower down the order. Young Arshin Kulkarni is another option.

If Lucknow want to bring in a bowling impact sub who can give them some powerplay bowling threat, either M Siddharth or Akash Deep could be trusted with the job depending upon the conditions.