Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 21 (ANI): Ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka and team captain Rishabh Pant visited the Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya.

After offering prayers at the temple, LSG Owner Goenka told ANI, 'Offering prayers to Lord Ram is never enough, and with the IPL season about to begin, all the players offered prayers at the temple here... With Lord Ram's blessings, everything falls into place.'

The visit was part of the team's pre-season engagements, aimed at seeking blessings before the high-profile tournament. Goenka and Pant were accompanied by select LSG management members during the visit, where they offered prayers.

'Dr. Sanjiv Goenka visits Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya along with captain Rishabh Pant and other members of the squad to receive blessings. JAI SHREE RAM,' LSG's official handle wrote on X.

https://x.com/LucknowIPL/status/2035264620265713813?s=20

Earlier, Pant spoke on the team's pre-season preparations and praised the addition of Bharat Arun as the franchise's new bowling coach, highlighting the value he brings to the squad ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

Speaking on JioStar, Pant said, 'The camp with the fast bowlers has been fantastic. Bharat Arun sir, has come on board, and since he arrived, he has been adding a lot of value. We've had a lot of conversations about what I want from the bowlers and what he thinks he can add. The energy is pure. He is one of the best bowling coaches, and I have that trust, having worked with him when he was with the Indian cricket team.'

Pant added that Arun's experience and rapport with bowlers are crucial for building confidence and improving performance. 'He brings that experience. The bowlers trust him and open up to him, which is exactly what you want from a bowling coach, adding value to the system. When we look back at last season, we felt we needed to add more to our bowling. He is definitely someone who can contribute a lot in that area, and I am really happy to have him.'

On March 11, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the schedule for the first phase of the 2026 IPL edition, which is to be played from March 28 to April 12.

The Pant-led LSG will begin their IPL 2026 season campaign against Delhi Capitals on April 1, followed by their matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 5, Kolkata Knight Riders on April 9 and Gujarat Titans on April 12 in the first phase, which was announced by BCCI.

Defending champions RCB will play the opening fixture against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.

Lucknow Super Giants squad for IPL 2026:

Rishabh Pant(captain), Aiden Markram, Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke, Mukul Choudhary, Akshat Raghuwanshi, Josh Inglis, Nicholas Pooran, Mitchell Marsh, Abdul Samad, Shahbaz Ahamad, Arshin Kulkarni, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ayush Badoni, Mohammad Shami, Avesh Khan, M. Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, Akash Singh, Prince Yadav, Arjun Tendulkar, Anrich Nortje, Naman Tiwari, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan. (ANI)