Name: Lucknow Super Giants
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) is a professional cricket franchise hailing from Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and participates in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Established in 2021, the team hosts its home games at the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium situated in Lucknow. RPSG Group is the proud owner of the team, having formerly owned the Rising Pune Supergiant franchise from 2016 to 2017. LSG's leadership includes KL Rahul as captain, guided by coach Justin Langer.
In August 2021, the Governing Council of the Indian Premier League put out an invitation to tender for two additional teams. Although 22 companies initially expressed interest, only six emerged as serious contenders due to the high base price. Ultimately, the RPSG Group, led by Sanjiv Goenka, secured the Lucknow franchise rights with a bid of ₹7,090 crore (approximately ₹80 billion or US$1.0 billion in 2023). Following this, the team initiated a naming competition, resulting in the selection of "Lucknow Super Giants" in January 2022. The team's home stadium is the BRSABV Ekana Cricket Stadium located in Lucknow. In its inaugural season, the team couldn't play any matches at this venue due to COVID-19 restrictions in India. Consequently, all league-stage matches in 2022 were held in Maharashtra. However, these restrictions were lifted in 2023, allowing the team to finally play matches at their home ground during that season.
During the highly anticipated February 2022 mega auction, the franchise embarked on its journey by acquiring its inaugural set of players, securing renowned talents such as KL Rahul, Quinton de Kock, Mark Wood, and Marcus Stoinis. Subsequently, Rahul was entrusted with the role of team captain, while the experienced former Zimbabwean cricketer, Andy Flower, assumed the position of head coach. Adding further depth to their leadership, former Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir was appointed as the team mentor.
In the subsequent 2022 season, the franchise displayed commendable performance, finishing third in the group stage and clinching a coveted spot in the playoffs. However, their journey was halted at the Eliminator stage where they faced Royal Challengers Bangalore and were knocked out of the tournament.
The 2023 season witnessed a similar narrative, with the franchise securing a third-place finish in the group stage yet again. However, their playoff journey ended at the hands of the Mumbai Indians in the eliminator match, marking another valiant effort by the Lucknow Super Giants.
Led by captain KL Rahul, feature a lineup of coaching and management staff. Spearheading the team's operations is Chairman Sanjiv Goenka, with Vinod Bisht serving as Chief Executive Officer. Saumyadeep Pyne takes on the role of both Manager and Team Manager, ensuring coordination on and off the field. The team's talent search and development are overseen by Director M. S. K. Prasad, while the coaching staff is led by Head Coach Justin Langer. Assisting Langer are coaches Lance Klusener and Sridharan Sriram, with cricket consultant Adam Voges providing insights. Pravin Tambe serves as the spin bowling consultant, while Morne Morkel is the bowling coach. Additionally, the team benefits from the expertise of fielding coach Jonty Rhodes, ensuring training and support for the players as they strive for excellence on the cricketing stage.
Lucknow Super Giants have two kits, one regular kit with blue as the main and orange as the secondary colour. The other one is a Mohun Bagan Super Giant tribute kit which was made to pay homage to the iconic Mohun Bagan colours. The redesigned home kit features a combination of half green and half maroon, symbolizing the rich history and heritage of the club.