LSG likely to rope in Abhay Sharma as fielding coach for IPL 2026

Former India U-19 fielding coach Abhay Sharma is likely to join Lucknow Super Giants as fielding coach for 2026 Indian Premier League.

Sharma's latest assignment was with the Uganda national team and as head coach, he was part of the side's maiden World Cup campaign in 2024.

The 56-year-old has also coached the Indian women's cricket team.

After making the play-offs in their first two seasons, LSG finished seventh in the previous two editions.

The franchise recently announced Tom Moody as its director of cricket with New Zealand great Kane Williamson named its strategic director.

Rishabh Pant is the leader of the side coached by Justin Langer.

''Abhay has extensive experience working with the leading Indian cricketers and that should come in handy at LSG,'' said a BCCI source.

The former first class cricketer has worked with the likes of Pant, Shubman Gill, Arshdeep Singh, Dhruv Jurel, Avesh Khan, Yashasvi Jaiswal at the U-19 level.

He was part of India U-19 support staff in the World Cups in 2016, 2018 and 2020. Abhay has also worked at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.

As head coach, Uganda was his first assignment and he was appointed ahead of the 2024 World Cup in the Americas.

Abhay and Uganda parted ways after the conclusion of the qualifying campaign in Africa.

Zimbabwe and Namibia qualified for the T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka from the African qualifier.