LSG to appoint G Jayakumar as batting coach: Report
What's the story
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are making major moves in the Indian Premier League (IPL) off-season. After a surprising trade involving Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav, the franchise is now on the lookout for a power-hitter. To bolster their batting line-up, LSG have decided to rope in G Jayakumar, a former Kerala cricketer, as their new batting coach, as per Cricbuzz. The development was confirmed by multiple sources close to both the franchise and Jayakumar himself.
Coaching team
Jayakumar to work closely with domestic players
Jayakumar is expected to join the LSG coaching staff soon. He will work closely with the franchise's domestic players and be a part of a larger coaching group. This group includes Tom Moody (director of cricket), Justin Langer (head coach), and Bharat Arun (bowling coach). With Jayakumar's appointment on the cards, it seems Lance Klusener may not be part of this setup anymore. Notably, LSG finished 10th in IPL 2026.
Training camp
LSG to send Indian batters for training in Perth
The LSG management is also planning to send a group of Indian batters - Himmat Singh, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, and Arshin Kulkarni - to Perth. There they will train under head coach Justin Langer. Most of these players are likely to fly out next week. After their training in Australia, they will head to Chennai where Jayakumar will be waiting for them.
Coaching credentials
Who is G Jayakumar?
Despite being a former bowler, Jayakumar has built a strong reputation as a batting coach in Chennai. He had opened the bowling for Kerala and played 25 matches for the state. He is credited with the development of Sai Sudharsan, who has become an exciting prospect in both white-ball and red-ball cricket. This makes him an ideal fit for LSG's plans to strengthen their batting depth from within.
Trade details
Pant-Kuldeep trade finalized earlier
Meanwhile, it has been revealed that the Pant-Kuldeep trade was finalized much earlier. Cricbuzz reports LSG's Shashwat Goenka and JSW's Parth Jindal had discussions over two weeks ago to finalize the deal. Both players were kept in the loop during these talks. The move is a sort of homecoming for both players, especially Pant who was seemingly under pressure with his record ₹27 crore league salary.
Information
Pant goes to Delhi Capitals
The aforementioned deal will see Pant's salary cut from ₹27 crore to ₹15 crore. The southpaw returns to his former franchise, Delhi Capitals. Meanwhile, Kuldeep will continue with his current contract worth ₹13.50 crore. The left-arm wrist-spinner moves to LSG after spending five seasons with the Capitals.