IPL 2026: Wanindu Hasaranga ruled out; LSG to name replacement
What's the story
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have confirmed that Sri Lankan spinner Wanindu Hasaranga will miss the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season. LSG's director of cricket, Tom Moody, announced this during their match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens on Thursday. The franchise is "preparing" to announce a replacement for Hasaranga in the next 24-48 hours.
Injury update
Hasaranga yet to recover from injury
Hasaranga, who was bought by LSG for ₹2 crore in the 2026 mini-auction, has been sitting out since injuring his hamstring during Sri Lanka's ICC T20 World Cup 2026 opener in February. He also failed to take Sri Lanka Cricket's (SLC) mandatory fitness test earlier this week. Notably, SLC had mandated that the centrally contracted players undergo a fitness test to get an NOC for IPL participation.
Team resilience
LSG have performed well in IPL 2026
Despite Hasaranga's absence, LSG have fared well in IPL 2026. They are currently fifth in the standings with two wins out of three matches. Their spin attack consists of Digvesh Rathi, M Siddharth, and Shahbaz Ahmed. However, Hasaranga's mystery spin remains indispensable. The Lankan spinner has taken 340 T20 wickets so far. Fast bowler Mohsin Khan has also been unavailable since LSG's opening match due to some "stiffness," as Moody confirmed on Thursday.
Possible replacement
George Linde likely to replace Hasaranga
While LSG is yet to officially announce a replacement for Hasaranga, South African left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder George Linde is the likely candidate, according to ESPNcricinfo. The Proteas left-arm spinner is yet to feature in the IPL but has been part of franchise leagues such as SA20, The Hundred, Major League Cricket, and the Pakistan Super League. In 250 T20s, Linde has taken 218 wickets (ER 7.42) and scored 2,746 runs (SR 136-plus).