Rishabh Pant-led Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have already suffered a major blow even before the IPL 2025 season can get underway. Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG group-owned franchise will open their campaign in IPL 2025 against Delhi Capitals in Vishakhapatnam on March 24.
However, LSG will have only limited services of star Australia all-rounder Mitchell Marsh for IPL 2025 season. Marsh was bought for Rs 3.3 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction last year.
He was ruled out of Australia’s ODI tour of Sri Lanka and the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 on January 31 due to ‘lower back pain and dysfunction’, effectively ending his domestic season. The issue was linked to a disc problem he had been managing since Australia’s limited-overs tour of the UK in September 2024.
After consulting a back specialist in early February, Marsh underwent a period of rest to aid his recovery. He has since resumed batting and has been cleared to play in the IPL 2025 for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) as a ‘batter-only’. He is expected to feature as a key ‘Impact player’ at the top of the order for his new franchise.
Marsh will join LSG’s squad on March 18, reuniting with former Australia, Western Australia, and Perth Scorchers coach Justin Langer, who is entering his second season as LSG’s head coach.
The 33-year-old last played a competitive match for Perth Scorchers in the BBL on January 7 but missed their final two matches of the season. That appearance was his only game since being omitted from Australia’s Test team ahead of the fifth Test in the Border-Gavaskar series. Before the BBL, his most recent white-ball outings were during Australia’s September T20I and ODI series in the UK.
Having spent the last three IPL seasons with Delhi Capitals, Marsh has struggled with injuries, including a hamstring issue that ruled him out of IPL 2024 after just four games. He has previously represented Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rising Pune Supergiants, Pune Warriors, and Deccan Chargers.
Meanwhile, Australian teammates Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood are all set to participate in the IPL 2025 despite missing the Champions Trophy due to injuries, according to ESPNCricinfo website.
Cummins, who experienced an ankle flare-up after the Border-Gavaskar series, confirmed last month that he has fully recovered and will once again captain Sunrisers Hyderabad. Starc, who suffered an ankle niggle during the two-Test series against Sri Lanka, is also fit for the IPL 2025.
He will join Delhi Capitals this season after being bought for Rs 11.75 crore at the auction. Starc was instrumental in Kolkata Knight Riders title-winning campaign in IPL 2024, earning ‘Player of the Match’ honors in the final.
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