The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will release legspinner Ravi Bishnoi, South Africa batsman David Miller, and India fast bowler Akash Deep, but they will keep India fast bowler Mayank Yadav.
It is believed that LSG has also made the decision to keep the majority of their core group of players, which includes Ayush Badoni, Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Nicholas Pooran, and Rishabh Pant. Mystery spinner Digvesh Rathi, who finished as LSG’s highest-wicket taker in his first IPL season, is one of the spinners expected to be kept. India fast bowler Avesh Khan, uncapped batsmen Abdul Samad and Himmat Singh, and all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed are also expected to be on the retention list. Prince Yadav, M Siddharth, Akash Singh, and left-arm fast bowler Mohsin Khan are among the uncapped bowlers who will be kept.
One of the most important things LSG had to answer during the retention exercise was about Mayank, who had back surgery after the 2025 IPL.
One of the three players LSG had kept ahead of the 2025 major auction for INR 11 crore was the Delhi fast bowler, who pushed his way into an international debut last year with his ability to regularly shoot speeds of 150 kmph. However, Mayank, who won two Player-of-the-Match accolades in the 2024 Indian Premier League, only participated in two games in the 2025 season before being sidelined by a back ailment.
In order to be fully prepared for the IPL, 23-year-old Mayank is presently undergoing rehabilitation and is anticipated to return to bowling shortly. By February of next year, he should be bowling at least 85% capability. The key issue for LSG was his lack of bowling, but it is believed that the thought tank, which consists of former India bowling coach Bharat Arun (head of talent), Justin Langer (head coach), and cricket director Tom Moody, decided it was worthwhile to keep Mayank.
The 25-year-old Bishnoi was first selected by LSG as an uncapped player before to the 2022 IPL for INR 4 crore. When LSG qualified for the playoffs in 2022, Bishnoi took 13 wickets at an economy rate of 8.44. A year later, Bishnoi, who is now an international, helped LSG make it back to the playoffs by taking 16 wickets at an economy rate of 7.74.
The franchise paid INR 11 crore to keep Bishnoi prior to the 2025 mega auction. But in the previous two seasons, Bishnoi’s bowling numbers were below average. He claimed 10 wickets in 14 games in 2024 at an economy rate of 8.77; but, in 11 games in 2025, he only claimed nine wickets at an economy rate of 10.83. Bishnoi took 48 wickets at an economy rate of 8.80 in 53 innings overall for LSG, however he was never named Player-of-the-Match.
It has been revealed that the LSG thought tank fired Bishnoi because of his failure to establish himself as a reliable match winner. According to reports, LSG offered the legspinner, who has played in 42 Twenty20 Internationals for India, as a trade option to a number of teams, but no one took him.
Following their subpar performances, Akash Deep and Miller—who were purchased by LSG in the 2025 auction for INR 8 crore and 7.5 crore, respectively—were decided to be released. During the previous IPL season, Miller, who is renowned for his power hitting and finishing abilities, amassed 153 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 127.49. Due to an injury sustained during the 2024–25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Akash Deep missed the first half of the 2025 Indian Premier League. Despite this, he played six games and took three wickets at an economy rate of 12.05.
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