Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) appointed former Kerala cricketer G. Jayakumar as their batting coach ahead of IPL 2027. The Lucknow-based franchise is also set to conduct an overseas training camp for several domestic players as part of its preparations after finishing at the bottom of the table in IPL 2026.
Lucknow Super Giants began a major rebuild following a high-profile trade with Delhi Capitals (DC). Wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant returned to the Delhi-based franchise in a ₹15 crore deal, while left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav joined Lucknow Super Giants on a revised contract worth ₹13.50 crore.
Lucknow Super Giants Appoint G. Jayakumar as New Batting Coach
According to Cricbuzz, the Super Giants have appointed former Kerala cricketer G. Jayakumar as their new batting coach. Jayakumar joins a coaching staff led by director of cricket Tom Moody, head coach Justin Langer, and bowling coach Bharat Arun. Lance Klusener is expected to leave the setup.
Although Jayakumar played as a fast bowler during his domestic career with Kerala, he later earned recognition as a batting coach in Chennai. He is widely credited for his work with India batter Sai Sudharsan and has helped develop several young batters across formats.
The Super Giants decided to appoint a specialist batting coach after struggling with consistency during IPL 2026. The franchise hopes Jayakumar can strengthen its batting depth and help build a reliable group of aggressive middle-order batters from its domestic talent pool.
Lucknow Super Giants Domestic Batters to Attend Perth Training Camp
As part of their preparations for IPL 2027, The Super Giants will send six Indian batters to Perth next week for a specialized training camp. The group includes Himmat Singh, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, and Arshin Kulkarni.
Head coach Justin Langer will supervise the camp in Australia. The program aims to help the young batters improve against fast bowling and adapt to the pace and bounce typically found on Australian pitches.
After completing the Perth camp, the players will return to India and travel to Chennai. There, they will begin working with new batting coach G. Jayakumar on power-hitting drills and other batting-specific training ahead of the new IPL season.
LSG Gain Auction Flexibility After Rishabh Pant Trade
Lucknow Super Giants completed a high-profile trade with Delhi Capitals involving Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav. Reports stated that franchise officials Shashwat Goenka and Parth Jindal handled the negotiations, while both players remained informed throughout the process.
The Super Giants had signed Pant for a record ₹27 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction. However, he struggled to make an impact during IPL 2026, scoring 312 runs as the franchise finished at the bottom of the points table. Pant also stepped down from the captaincy after the disappointing season.
The trade reduced Pant’s salary to ₹15 crore and improved Lucknow’s financial flexibility ahead of the next auction. The franchise now has an estimated purse of around ₹23 crore, including savings from the trade, the increase in the salary cap, and previously unused funds.
With a stronger auction purse and a revamped coaching setup, they are expected to make further changes to their squad. The franchise is reportedly looking to add a specialist power-hitter as it reshapes its batting lineup for IPL 2027.