With the Indian Premier League 2025 season starting in just a few days, the Lucknow SuperGiants are facing a tough situation. Several of their key fast bowlers are dealing with injuries. Team mentor Zaheer Khan mentioned that given how unpredictable the league can be, every team needs to be prepared for these kinds of issues.
Lucknow, now led by Rishab Pant, will kick off their season at the ACAVDCA Cricket Stadium on March 24. Right now, it’s unclear when Mayank Yadav, Akash Deep, Mohsin Khan, and Avesh Khan will be back in action.
We can’t say much since our players are with the NCA. We’re working with them to see how things go. The situation can change quickly, and in the IPL, you have to expect the unexpected. We plan for the season with 24 players, and we need to choose a playing XI that represents our style of cricket and helps us win. This is a positive group, and you’ll see a positive approach, Zaheer said at a press conference.
The biggest blow to the bowling lineup is Mayank. He just started bowling in the nets on Monday, and LSG is waiting for clearance from the BCCI. The fast bowler is recovering from a back injury at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, where he’s been doing rehab since getting hurt after his India debut in the T20I series against Bangladesh last October.
Earlier reports suggested he might miss the first half of IPL 2025, but this recent update offers hope for his return to Lucknow fans.
The 22-year-old made a huge impression last year with his incredible speed, clocking over 150 kmph in his debut IPL season. He only played four matches, taking seven wickets, before an injury sidelined him. He also won two consecutive Player of the Match awards in those four games.
With their bowling attack weakened, the Lucknow franchise really wants to fill those gaps quickly, hoping the injuries don’t mess up their season start. Amidst all the uncertainty, Shardul Thakur and Shivam Mavi were spotted bowling at the LSG nets.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Injuries happen, and we need to manage them. But we’re not even focused on injuries right now. Our main goal is to play good cricket. We have a great captain and a great team. Rishabh Pant is a fantastic player, he added.
