IPL 2023 Auction: 3 Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Players Punjab Kings (PBKS) Can Target

IPL 2023 Auction: 3 Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Players Punjab Kings (PBKS) Can Target.  Lucknow Super Giants were one of the two new franchises that made their debut in IPL 2022. The Lucknow-based franchise became the first one to represent Uttar Pradesh in the Indian Premier League. KL Rahul was named the captain of the team. The team management formed a stellar squad at the IPL 2022 mega auction.

As expected, LSG made it to the playoffs in their debut season, but they could not win the title. Lucknow finished third on the points table, meaning they had to play in the Eliminator match.

Royal Challengers Bangalore knocked them out of the competition by defeating them in the Eliminator match. Lucknow Super Giants may release Indian batter Manish Pandey, Australian fast bowler Andrew Tye, and Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis because of his hefty price tag ahead of IPL 2023.

After the IPL 2022 mega auction, the cricket legends weighted Punjab Kings among the probable teams to reach the playoff and even win the IPL trophy. The reason was that they had a very good team comprising a bunch of talented utility players who could single-handedly win matches for the franchise.

But, after the IPL league stage finished, the Mayank Agarwal-led team found themselves packing their bags with just 7 wins from 14 matches, finishing the IPL 2022 points table in the 6^th position. There will be a lot of brainstorming from now leading up to the 16^th edition of the IPL. The likes of Shahrukh Khan, Benny Howell, Sandeep Sharma, Vaibhav Arora, and even IPL 2022 skipper Mayank Agarwal may be released by the franchise.

According to several reports, the Mohali-based franchise is eyeing to release three expensive buys – Mayank Agarwal (INR 12 crore), Shahrukh Khan (INR 9 crore), and Odean Smith (INR 6 crore) – so that they will enter the mini-auction with a big purse.

Veteran Indian opener Shikhar Dhawan has been confirmed as the new captain of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) franchise for the forthcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on Wednesday. Shikhar Dhawan, who was not a part of the Indian T20I World Cup 2022 squad and is considered an ODI specialist and ODI skipper nowadays will replace another opener Mayank Agarwal as the leader of the Punjab-based franchise in the IPL 2023.

IPL 2023 Auction: 3 Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) Players Punjab Kings (PBKS) Can Target

Manish Pandey

It took one spectacular innings to thrust Manish Pandey into the limelight. A flamboyant right-hand top-order batsman, Manish Pandey scored an unbeaten 114 for the Royal Challengers Bangalore against the now-defunct Deccan Chargers in IPL 2009. He became the first Indian to score a ton in the IPL.

33-year-old Manish Pandey had a terrible outing in IPL 2022, scoring only 88 runs in 6 games averaging 14.67 for Lucknow Super Giants and if released, he could be acquired by Punjab Kings in IPL 2023.

Marcus Stoinis

Marcus Stoinis donned the LSG colors after the franchise picked him ahead of the TATA IPL 2022 auction. Hailing from Western Australia, Marcus Stoinis, lived up to the expectations and impressed one and all with his all-round display in the two seasons- IPL 2020 and IPL 2021, scoring 441 runs and 15 wickets for Delhi Capitals.

His best season came in IPL 2020 where he amassed 352 runs averaging 25.14 at a strike rate of 148.52 in 17 IPL games. He also picked up his most scalps-13 in a single season in IPL 2020. So far, he has scored 1070 runs and taken 34 scalps in 67 IPL games.  He may be acquired by Punjab Kings to join the likes of all-rounders like Rishi Dhawan, Raj Bawa, Odean Smith, Liam Livingstone, and Shahrukh Khan in their IPL 2023 squad.

Andrew Tye

Andrew Tye joined Lucknow Super Giants for INR 1 Crore as a replacement for the injured Mark Wood. The Australian right-arm pacer has so far played 30 IPL games and has 42 wickets averaging 23.31 against his name, including a five-wicket haul (5/17) and a hat-trick.

His best season came in IPL 2018 when he claimed 24 scalps in 14 games averaging 18.66. He may be targeted by Punjab Kings in IPL 2023. He picked only 2 scalps in 3 games in IPL 2022. His bowling average in IPL 2019, IPL 2020, and IPL 2022 were above 50 after a successful outing in his maiden IPL 2017 season- an average of 11.75-12 scalps in 6 games and IPL 2018. He may be targeted by Punjab Kings in IPL 2023 mini auctions.