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Cricket PlayersTime for INR 8.6 crore gamble to power LSG's race to playoffs: Josh Inglis joins squad ahead of crucial MI clash
Josh Inglis has joined Lucknow Super Giants ahead of their crucial IPL match against the Mumbai Indians.
Josh Inglis has joined Lucknow Super Giants in Mumbai, giving the franchise a fresh overseas batting option before their May 4 IPL 2026 match against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
The Australian wicketkeeper-batter’s arrival comes after a delayed start to the season and a noisy auction backstory involving the Punjab Kings, who had wanted to retain him before the availability issue changed the equation.
Inglis available for LSG after delayed arrival
Inglis, bought by LSG for ₹8.6 crore at the IPL 2026 auction, is now available for selection as Lucknow look to arrest a poor run in the tournament. LSG have managed only two wins from their first eight matches, leaving them under pressure going into the second half of the league stage.
Their next fixture carries extra weight because the Mumbai Indians are in the same position, with two wins from eight games (they will play CSK on 2nd May). That makes the May 4 meeting at the Wankhede less of a routine league game and more of a survival checkpoint for both sides.
Inglis was unavailable for the opening phase of the tournament due to personal commitments. His absence had attracted attention even before the season began, following his decision to decline the Punjab Kings' offer of retention. The franchise had signed him for ₹2.6 crore earlier and were keen to keep him after his strong IPL 2025 campaign.
The situation became controversial because Punjab felt the timing of Inglis’ availability update left them with little room before the retention deadline. PBKS co-owner Ness Wadia had publicly expressed disappointment, saying the franchise had not released Inglis in the normal sense but had been forced into a late rethink after learning he would not be available for the full season.
Inglis later gave his own side, saying he did not expect to be picked at the auction because he knew his availability would be limited. LSG, however, still made a heavy investment, paying ₹8.6 crore for a player who was always likely to miss a significant part of the tournament.
That gamble now enters its active phase. Inglis brings high-tempo batting through the middle order and has shown he can disrupt elite pace attacks. His IPL 2025 numbers explain why LSG were willing to wait: 278 runs in 11 matches, a strike rate above 162 and the ability to shift momentum quickly.
There is also a direct Mumbai angle. Inglis has previously enjoyed success against Jasprit Bumrah, scoring 52 runs off 34 balls in two matches. His most striking passage came in IPL 2025 Qualifier 2, when he took 20 runs off a Bumrah over during Punjab Kings’ win.
That history does not guarantee anything at Wankhede, but it gives LSG a clear tactical temptation. Against an MI attack led by Bumrah, Inglis offers a batter who has already shown the confidence to take on Mumbai’s biggest weapon.
For Lucknow, the selection question is now immediate. Do they draft Inglis straight into a struggling side, or ease him in after only recently linking up with the squad? Given their position on the table, caution may not have much currency left.
LSG need impact, and Josh Inglis has been bought for that exact role. His arrival turns an auction talking point into a match-day decision, with Lucknow’s season already entering a stage where every selection call must carry consequence.
