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With more than three months still remaining before the next Indian Premier League (IPL) season begins, a franchise has already started laying the groundwork for their campaign. In a proactive move aimed at sharpening its bowling resources, the star-studded team is planning to send a group of domestic pacers to South Africa for a specialised training stint. The initiative underlines a growing trend among IPL teams to prioritise early preparation and player workload management well ahead of the tournament.
South Africa stint during SA20 to aid comeback plans for the promising team
The team in discussion is none other than Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). According to a report in Cricbuzz, LSG have selected few of their bowlers to train alongside players from Durban Super Giants, the South African sister franchise of LSG, during the upcoming SA20. Notably, the upcoming season of SA20 begins on December 26 and runs for nearly a month, offering an ideal competitive and training environment. Among the names under consideration are Avesh Khan and Mohsin Khan, both of whom have been recovering from injuries. Young left-arm pacer Naman Tiwari is also in contention to join the group.
The bowlers are likely to travel to Durban sometime next week. Naman, signed for INR 1 crore at the recent mini-auction, is seen as a long-term prospect. The 20-year-old is not part of Uttar Pradesh’s squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, making him available for the Durban trip. Further, the franchise is understood to have sought formal clearance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to ensure compliance with all protocols.
Also READ: SA20 2026: Complete squads of all six teams after the players’ auction
Coaching continuity strengthens the plan
A major advantage of the Durban camp lies in the overlap of coaching personnel between the two franchises. The Durban setup includes Lance Klusener, Tom Moody, Bharat Arun, and Carl Crowe—with Moody, Arun and Crowe also serving on the IPL side’s support staff. This continuity is expected to help players transition smoothly into IPL-specific preparations.
For Avesh and Mohsin, the South Africa stint is particularly significant. Avesh has not featured in competitive cricket since the previous IPL season, while Mohsin missed the entire last campaign. Both have been undergoing rehabilitation and have only recently resumed bowling. Training in match-like conditions during SA20 is expected to accelerate their return to full fitness ahead of the IPL 2026.
