Trouble for LSG before IPL 2026 auction, pacer likely out for 8 months

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are in a spot of bother. Their Rs 11 crore retention, Mayank Yadav, who played just two matches in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, might be out for 6-8 months.

According to the Times of India, Mayank underwent back surgery in June. The express pacer has had injury issues since bursting on the scene in IPL 2024. After playing four matches for LSG that season, Mayank made his T20I debut for Team India against Bangladesh in October 2024.

He injured himself again and was out of action for 6 months. He returned to play just 2 matches in IPL 2025, but wasn’t at full fitness and injured himself again. Last month, Mayank travelled to Christchurch, New Zealand, and underwent back surgery. Dr. Rowan Schouten, who helped Jasprit Bumrah in 2023, took care of the issues Mayank was having.

Mayank’s estimated time of recovery is 6-8 months. “He’s (Mayank) out for six to eight months,” the source said. This confirms that he won’t be fit when the IPL 2026 mini auction takes place at the end of the year. But it may happen that he isn’t in contention for the T20 World Cup 2026 and could very well miss the start of the IPL 2026 season as well.

LSG faces pacer conundrum before IPL 2026 auction

Mayank was supposed to join LSG before IPL 2025, but his return was postponed. That can happen again. This isn’t LSG’s only trouble, though. Two other fast bowlers of theirs, Avesh Khan and Mohsin Khan, are also out for six months. Avesh and Mohsin underwent knee surgeries in Mumbai.

Both were operated on by Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, the man behind Rishabh Pant’s successful return. Avesh had played 13 matches for LSG in IPL 2025 despite having injury issues earlier and had missed one Ranji Trophy match as well. He got operated on June 17.

As for Mohsin, he has undergone anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction on his right knee. The left-arm pacer had torn his ACL during the Vijay Hazare Trophy, December 31, 2024, to be specific. He had joined LSG but failed to recover in time and was replaced by Shardul Thakur.

Mayank, Avesh, and Mohsin will undergo rehab at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru and will likely return in the second leg of the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy season.

The question now is, will LSG release all of them? Mayank’s pace had already dropped a bit this season. Will he clock over 150 km consistently again? Avesh is a wicket-taker and has rarely had injury issues. As for Mohsin, he’s struggled with injury for years now.