LSG star blind ranks left-handed batters post IPL 2026 Auction; Rishabh Pant not in top three

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) wicketkeeper batter Nicholas Pooran blind-ranked five prominent left-handers in order after the IPL 2026 auction (via LSG X handle). The star left-hander ranked his fellow former West Indian, Chris Gayle, at the top of the mountain.

Gayle is one of the most accomplished left-handers in international cricket and the IPL. The West Indian is tenth all-time in run-scoring in the IPL with almost 5,000 runs at an average of 39.72 and a strike rate of 148.96, including six centuries.

He also scored almost 20,000 runs for the West Indies across formats with 42 centuries in 483 games, helping them win two T20 World Cup titles in 2012 and 2016.

Another IPL stalwart, David Warner, came in at No.2 on Pooran's left-handers ranking. The Aussie legend finished his IPL career with 6,565 runs, fourth all-time, at an average of over 40 and a strike rate of almost 140 in 184 outings.

Warner also enjoyed a stellar Australian career, finishing only five runs short of 19,000 with 49 centuries in 383 matches.

Former Indian all-rounder Yuvraj Singh came in at No.3, having scored 2,750 runs in 132 matches in his IPL career. The southpaw helped India win the 2007 T20 and 2011 ODI World Cup, with a Player of the Tournament performance in the latter.

Yuvraj also scored 11,778 international runs with 17 centuries in his 402-match career.

Meanwhile, Pooran's current LSG teammate and skipper, Rishabh Pant, was relegated to fourth in the ranking. Pant has lit up the IPL over the years, amassing over 3,500 runs at an average of 34.16 and a strike rate of 147.61 in 125 games.

The 28-year-old has also carved out an excellent international career, scoring 5,556 runs with nine centuries in 156 games. Pant was part of India's 2024 T20 World Cup-winning squad.

Nicholas Pooran has a legendary wicketkeeper at the bottom of his rankings

Former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist took the final spot on Nicholas Pooran's left-hander rankings. Gilchrist scored over 2,000 runs in the IPL despite playing the league only at the end of his career.

He led the now-defunct Deccan Chargers to a memorable IPL title in the second season. Gilchrist also enjoyed a phenomenal international career, finishing with over 15,000 runs and 33 centuries in 396 matches.

The legendary gloveman also holds the record for the second-most wicketkeeping dismissals in international cricket with 905. Gilchrist was an integral part of Australia's historic threepeat in ODI World Cups from 1999 to 2007.

Edited by Venkatesh Ravichandran