The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have a plethora of two sets of players. They have as many as ten fast-bowling options. The other ones are the Delhi-based players under Rishabh Pant. But one common individual in the two groups is Prince Yadav, who is making heads turn in the domestic circuit and can be an ideal individual to partner with Mohammed Shami come the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.
Mayank Yadav and other LSG pacers uncertain
As mentioned above, LSG have no dearth of options when it comes to fast bowling. However, three of their retained pacers are under an injury cloud. Mayank Yadav last played a competitive match in IPL 2025, where he played just two games before getting injured.
Although he is on his road to recovery, nothing major can be said about a player who is quite injury-prone. Mohsin Khan, meanwhile, played his last game back in 2024. While Avesh Khan is yet to turn up in the ongoing domestic season. Both of them, alongside Naman Tiwari, are in South Africa to train alongside LSG’s sister franchise, Durban’s Super Giants.
All this is a good news for LSG. But they don’t need to rush these pacers and lose them once again, like they did last season. In a season where LSG were heavily dependent on overseas players, one rookie name showed his raw abilities. He emerged as an intriguing prospect with his skiddy pace and superb yorkers. You must remember how Travis Head’s middle and off stumps got uprooted at Uppal.
Prince Yadav is buzzing in Vijay Hazare Trophy
Currently, Prince Yadav, under his LSG captain Rishabh Pant, is having a terrific Vijay Hazare Trophy (VHT). Just like in LSG, where he will be a first-change pacer, Prince has been devioded of the new ball for Delhi. Yet, he has been the most effective pacer.
In 7 games, he has four three-wicket hauls and a couple of two-wicket hauls. When the likes of Ishant Sharma and Navdeep Saini have taken the new ball, Prince has been terrific as a first-change bowler. In fact, Pant has used him in the middle overs as well. Only once has Prince gone wicketless in the ongoing VHT and in that particular match, he got to bowl just 4 overs. Now at LSG, Prince could be a perfect complimentary partner to Shami. While Shami’s exploits with the new ball are a mystery to none, Prince can be a wrecker in the post-powerplay overs. This would support the spin duo of Wanindu Hasaranga and Digvesh Rathi too.
| Player | Inns | Balls | Wkts | BBI | Ave | Econ | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zeeshan Ansari (UP) | 7 | 396 | 21 | 4/29 | 14.33 | 4.56 | 18.85 |
| S Raju (AP) | 7 | 401 | 21 | 5/44 | 16.00 | 5.02 | 19.09 |
| V Koushik (GOA) | 7 | 392 | 17 | 4/40 | 15.05 | 3.91 | 23.05 |
| R Ghosh (MAHA) | 7 | 268 | 16 | 7/42 | 15.00 | 5.37 | 16.75 |
| Prince Yadav (DELHI) | 7 | 343 | 16 | 3/28 | 18.00 | 5.03 | 21.43 |
Even in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), Prince was handy with 8 wickets at an economy of 8.47. Meanwhile, in the two seasons of the Delhi Premier Legaue, where he has played for two different franchises, the 24-year-old has 23 wickets to show.
LSG full squad for IPL 2026
Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, Aiden Markram, Matthew Breetzke, Himmat Singh, Rishabh Pant (c), Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Shahbaz Ahmed, Arshin Kulkarni, Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Rathi, Prince Yadav, Akash Singh, Mohammed Shami, Arjun Tendulkar, Josh Inglis (8.60 cr), Mukul Choudhary (2.60 cr), Akshat Raghuwanshi (2.20 cr), Anrich Nortje,, Wanindu Hasaranga, Naman Tiwari
