Every IPL team usually gets one bad season. Lucknow Super Giants just had two. After back-to-back playoff misses and a limp, sixth-win campaign in IPL 2025, LSG have finally reached the uncomfortable conclusion every underachieving franchise faces: something big has to change, and fast.

 

Enter Tom Moody, the most solution-oriented cricket brain you hire when you don’t just want improvement, you want reinvention. National teams have used him. Franchises across leagues have trusted him. And most recently, the Oval Invincibles won three straight Hundred titles under his watch. That’s not a coincidence; that’s a method.

 

Why Jordan Cox Solves More Problems Than LSG Realizes

 

Jordan Cox is not a “maybe later” player anymore; he’s a why didn’t you sign him yesterday? Batter. Moody knows this better than anyone. He watched Cox dominate three consecutive Hundred seasons for the Oval Invincibles, topping it off with 367 runs at 61+ and a blistering 173.93 strike rate in 2025. That is not form; that is a calling card.

 

LSG’s issue isn’t a lack of overseas batters; they have quality. Their issue is a lack of flexible overseas batters. Cox has batted everywhere from 1 to 6, keeps wickets if required, and brings 3,500+ T20 runs across 158 matches. That’s the kind of plug-and-play versatility that IPL sides value more than gold. And if Moody vouched for him during back-to-back trophy runs? Expect Lucknow to listen.

 

Saqib Mahmood: Answering LSG’s Fast-Bowling Crisis

 

LSG’s biggest 2025 flaw was simple: they bowled pace like it was optional. Their attack lacked bite, lacked speed, and lacked a reliable overseas enforcer. Saqib Mahmood fixes all three.

 

Under Moody at the Invincibles, Mahmood quietly became one of the most dependable white-ball quicks in England’s system, 14 wickets across two Hundred seasons at under 19, plus 14 international wickets in 2025. His lone T20I in India produced three wickets; his ODI series followed the same.

 

More importantly, Mahmood is a rare commodity: a bowler who can operate in all three phases, powerplay, middle overs, and death. LSG desperately needs one of those. Moody has already developed him. This connection feels inevitable.

 

David Payne Adds What LSG has missed for Years.

 

For two seasons, LSG’s fast-bowling unit has looked like the same bowler copied three times. No variation, no left-arm angle, nothing to force match-up discomfort. David Payne changes that instantly.

 

Payne has been consistently excellent under Moody’s leadership, first in ILT20 2024/25 (10 wickets at 24.10), then for Welsh Fire in the 2025 Hundred (10 wickets, avg under 23). Over 200 T20 appearances tell you he’s not a one-season wonder; he’s a long-service professional finally hitting a late-career peak.

 

LSG needs a steady left-armer; Payne needs a franchise that trusts his skillset. Moody is the bridge. Given that Payne went unsold in 2025, a Moody recommendation might finally bring him into the IPL spotlight he has chased for years.

 

LSG doesn’t need a dramatic overhaul; they need targeted precision. Moody has built trophy-winning sides before by doing exactly this, finding undervalued pieces and turning them into match-winners. If LSG follows his blueprint, IPL 2026 could be the season they stop surviving and start contending again.

 

Key Takeaway

 

LSG’s revival may not start in the auction room; it may start with Tom Moody’s shortlist.

 

FAQs

 

1. Why did LSG appoint Tom Moody as director of cricket?

 

To reset their long-term strategy after two poor seasons and leverage Moody’s elite T20 coaching record.

 

2. Which player is the most crucial target for LSG?

 

Saqib Mahmood, because he directly addresses their biggest weakness: fast bowling quality.

 

3. Could all three recommended players actually join LSG?

 

Yes, none were picked last season, and Moody has previously coached all of them successfully.

 

Disclaimer: This blog post reflects the author’s personal insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the perspectives shared and draw their own conclusions.

 

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