Josh Inglis set to transform LSG’s struggling campaign from May 4

Josh Inglis is expected to join Lucknow Super Giants ahead of their game against Mumbai Indians on 4 May, making him unavailable for tomorrow’s LSG vs RR clash on 22 April. Inglis originally informed Punjab Kings he might only play for a few weeks in late May after a long honeymoon, but reports from ESPNcricinfo now suggest he shortened his time away following the ceremony. So LSG fans get their overseas reinforcement sooner than feared, though the RR game comes just a little too early.

Why did LSG pay so much for a partial-season player?

LSG roped in Josh Inglis for a whopping ₹8.6 crore despite his confirmed partial unavailability for the season. That figure reflects a genuine belief in his quality. In 11 IPL matches across his career, the 31-year-old scored 278 runs at a strike rate of 162.57 and an average of 30.88.

His 2025 campaign with Punjab Kings proved decisive too, because Inglis played a pivotal role in helping Punjab Kings reach the finals, with his best knock coming against Mumbai Indians at the end of the group stage, which helped Punjab finish top of the table. LSG spotted a proven big-match performer and moved fast.

Whether Inglis replaces Pooran depends entirely on form

Pooran managed just 51 runs across six innings in IPL 2026 at a paltry average of 8.50, with his strike rate collapsing to a terrible 79.68. His boundary percentage dropped from over 23 per cent to under 14 per cent. That is an alarming regression from a player who delivered 524 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 196.25 last season, hitting a tournament-leading 40 sixes.

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LSG currently sit ninth on the points table, and Josh Inglis could feature in the final six league matches depending on team combinations, with the franchise presently using Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, and Pooran as their three overseas options. Once Josh Inglis arrives, LSG face a genuine selection dilemma, and Pooran’s wretched 2026 numbers make that conversation unavoidable.