Lucknow Super Giants: Complete Guide, History & Records
Lucknow Super Giants are the IPL’s great unfinished project. One of the two newest franchises, Lucknow reached the playoffs in their first two seasons, then spent four seasons searching for a way back — and they remain the only active team never to have reached an IPL final. This complete guide covers everything about LSG: their history, captains, coaches, home ground, records, the 2022 and 2023 Eliminator defeats, the ₹27 crore Pant era, the 2026 last-place finish, and what to expect in IPL 2027.
Lucknow Super Giants at a Glance
- Founded: 25 October 2021; first IPL season 2022
- Home ground: BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow (capacity around 50,100)
- Captain: Aiden Markram (following Rishabh Pant’s step-down after the 2026 season)
- Head coach: Justin Langer
- Owner: RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group (Sanjiv Goenka), who won the franchise with a record ₹7,090 crore bid
- Colours: Blue and Orange
- IPL titles: 0
- Final appearances: 0 — the only active team never to have reached an IPL final
- Playoff appearances: 2 (2022, 2023)
- Identity: “Ab Apni Baari Hai”
Lucknow Super Giants were one of two new franchises added ahead of the 2022 season, alongside Gujarat Titans. The RPSG Group, which had previously owned Rising Pune Supergiant in 2016 and 2017, won the Lucknow rights with a bid of ₹7,090 crore — the most expensive IPL franchise purchase at the time — and the team’s name was chosen through a fan competition in January 2022.
The History of Lucknow Super Giants
2022: Playoffs in Their Debut Season
Lucknow Super Giants made an immediate impression. Under captain KL Rahul, first head coach Andy Flower and mentor Gautam Gambhir, LSG finished third in the league in their debut season and reached the playoffs. But the run ended in the Eliminator at Eden Gardens on 25 May 2022, where Royal Challengers Bengaluru posted 207 for 4 — Rajat Patidar scoring an unbeaten 112 off 54 balls, the first century by an uncapped player in an IPL playoff — and Lucknow, despite KL Rahul’s 79 off 58 balls, finished on 193 for 6, losing by 14 runs.
2023: Third Again, Another Eliminator Exit
Lucknow finished third again in 2023 and reached the playoffs for a second straight season. But the Eliminator at Chennai on 24 May 2023 was a disaster: Mumbai Indians posted 182 for 8, and Lucknow — led by stand-in captain Krunal Pandya with KL Rahul injured — collapsed to 101 all out in 16.3 overs, with Akash Madhwal taking 5 for 5, the best bowling figures in IPL playoff history. Mumbai won by 81 runs.
2024: Seventh Place and the End of the Rahul Era
Lucknow finished seventh in 2024 with seven wins and seven losses, missing the playoffs on net run rate. KL Rahul was again the team’s top scorer, as he had been in 2022, but the bowling attack lacked experience, and the season ended in disappointment. After 2024, the franchise released Rahul, appointed Justin Langer as head coach, and rebuilt around a new captain.
2025: The ₹27 Crore Pant Era Begins
Before the 2025 season, Lucknow Super Giants signed Rishabh Pant for ₹27 crore at the mega auction — the most expensive player in IPL auction history at the time — and made him captain. But the season brought another seventh-place finish, with Pant scoring just 269 runs, and the playoffs stayed out of reach.
IPL 2026: Last Place and a Captaincy Change
IPL 2026 was Lucknow’s worst season yet. The Pant-led side finished tenth and last in the IPL points table with just 8 points from four wins and ten losses, and a net run rate of -0.740. There were bright spots — a nine-run win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Ekana on 7 May 2026, with Mitchell Marsh scoring 111 off 56 balls — but also heavy defeats, including a 40-run home loss to Rajasthan Royals and a seven-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings on 23 May 2026, when Shreyas Iyer scored 101 off 51 balls chasing 197. Pant scored 312 runs in 2026, and after the final league game, he stepped down as captain, with director of cricket Tom Moody framing it as the right call for both player and franchise. Across the two Pant seasons, Lucknow won just 10 of 28 matches. For the auction picture, read our IPL 2027 auction guide.
Home Ground: Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, with a capacity of around 50,100, is Lucknow Super Giants’ home. One of the newest major grounds in India, Ekana has become the fortress of the “Super Fam” — though the 2026 season showed that even home comfort could not save a struggling side.
Identity: Blue, Orange and “Ab Apni Baari Hai”
Lucknow Super Giants’ identity is blue and orange, built around the “Ab Apni Baari Hai” anthem — “Now it’s our turn”. The franchise’s story is one of patience wearing thin: a team that did everything right in its first two seasons, then watched the playoffs disappear for four straight years, and now faces a rebuild under a new captain.
Captain, Coach and Key Players
Aiden Markram (captain): Markram, the South African batter who has been with Lucknow through the rebuild, is listed as the franchise’s captain following Rishabh Pant’s step-down after the 2026 season, and leads the side into the 2027 auction cycle.
Justin Langer (head coach): Langer, the former Australia coach, took over as head coach ahead of the 2024 season and has led Lucknow through the Pant era and into the rebuild.
Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Mohammed Shami and Digvesh Rathi: Pant, the ₹27 crore signing, captained Lucknow in 2025 and 2026 before stepping down; Pooran is the explosive middle-order batter; Marsh scored 111 off 56 balls in the 2026 win over Royal Challengers Bengaluru; Shami, traded from Sunrisers Hyderabad before 2026, leads the pace attack; and Digvesh Rathi is the young spinner who announced himself in 2025.
KL Rahul (the first era): Rahul captained Lucknow in their first three seasons, was the team’s top scorer in 2022 and 2024 and second-highest in 2023, and led the side to both of their playoff appearances.
Lucknow Super Giants Records and Stats
- IPL titles: 0
- Final appearances: 0 — Lucknow Super Giants are the only active team never to have reached an IPL final
- Playoff appearances: 2 — 2022 (lost Eliminator to Royal Challengers Bengaluru by 14 runs; RCB 207 for 4, LSG 193 for 6) and 2023 (lost Eliminator to Mumbai Indians by 81 runs; MI 182 for 8, LSG 101 all out)
- League-stage best: Third place in 2022 and 2023
- Finishes since: Seventh in 2024, seventh in 2025, tenth in 2026
- Highest total: 257 for 5 against Punjab Kings in 2023 — covered in our highest score in IPL guide
- Most expensive signing: Rishabh Pant, ₹27 crore at the 2025 mega auction — the most expensive player in IPL auction history at the time
- Pant era record: 10 wins from 28 matches across 2025 and 2026
- Franchise purchase price: ₹7,090 crore (2021) — the most expensive IPL franchise purchase at the time
Rivalries: Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings
The defining rivalry is with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the opponents who ended Lucknow’s debut season in the 2022 Eliminator through Rajat Patidar’s 112 not out. For the other side of that rivalry, read our Royal Challengers Bengaluru complete guide, our Mumbai Indians complete guide, our Chennai Super Kings complete guide, our Kolkata Knight Riders complete guide, our Sunrisers Hyderabad complete guide, our Delhi Capitals complete guide, our Punjab Kings complete guide, our Rajasthan Royals complete guide and our Gujarat Titans complete guide.
Mumbai Indians are the opponents who ended Lucknow’s 2023 season with the 81-run Eliminator win, and Punjab Kings are the opponents who beat Lucknow in the 2026 season’s late highlight chase. Both fixtures now carry extra weight.
IPL 2027 Outlook: What Lucknow Super Giants Need
The IPL 2027 season runs from 10 March to 15 May 2027, with 74 matches, and the IPL 2027 schedule page will carry every fixture once the BCCI publishes it. Before that, the reported IPL 2027 auction on 16 December 2026 in Goa, with retention lists due on 15 November 2026, is the franchise’s most important date in years.
Three questions will decide Lucknow Super Giants’ 2027:
- Does the new captaincy work? The Pant era produced 10 wins in 28 matches and two bottom-half finishes. Markram’s leadership, and whether Pant stays at the franchise, will define the rebuild.
- Can the bowling match the batting? Lucknow’s batting has rarely been the problem. The 2024 and 2025 seasons showed that a lack of experienced bowlers costs playoff places.
- Can Lucknow finally reach a final? No active team has waited longer for a first final appearance. The 2027 auction is the chance to build a side that ends that distinction.
If the answers come, a first final — five seasons after the debut playoff runs — is a realistic target. If they do not, Lucknow face a fifth straight season outside the playoffs, and the most expensive franchise purchase in IPL history will still be waiting for its first final.
Lucknow Super Giants FAQs
How many IPL titles have Lucknow Super Giants won?
Lucknow Super Giants have never won the IPL. They have also never reached an IPL final — the only active team with that distinction.
Who is the captain of Lucknow Super Giants?
Aiden Markram is listed as the captain of Lucknow Super Giants, following Rishabh Pant’s step-down after the 2026 season. Pant captained the side in 2025 and 2026, and KL Rahul captained it from 2022 to 2024.
Who is the coach of Lucknow Super Giants?
Justin Langer is the head coach of Lucknow Super Giants.
What is the home ground of Lucknow Super Giants?
Lucknow Super Giants play their home matches at BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
Why are Lucknow Super Giants’ colours blue and orange?
Blue and orange are the franchise’s identity colours, tied to the “Ab Apni Baari Hai” anthem.
Where did Lucknow Super Giants finish in IPL 2026?
Lucknow Super Giants finished tenth and last in IPL 2026 with 8 points from four wins and ten losses.
When does IPL 2027 start?
The IPL 2027 season window runs from 10 March to 15 May 2027, with 74 matches. The full fixture list is expected around February 2027.
Conclusion
Lucknow Super Giants are not just a team without a trophy; they are the IPL’s great unfinished project. Two playoff appearances in their first two seasons, a record ₹7,090 crore purchase price, a record ₹27 crore captain, and four straight seasons outside the playoffs tell the story of a franchise that started fast and then stalled. The 2027 season, under a new captain and after the most expensive captaincy experiment in league history, offers the chance to finally reach a first final — and to make “Ab Apni Baari Hai” mean something again.
For the full picture through the season, follow the IPL live score guide, the IPL points table and the IPL 2027 schedule page — and check the IPL teams page for every squad.
