Lucknow Super Giants have received a massive blow in the mid-season of the IPL 2026 as South Africa batter Matthew Breetzke has flown back home for personal reasons. This news is certainly a major one for the team who have a dismal 2 wins in 8 games this season and currently stand at the bottom of the table.

This isn't the first instance of LSG seeing a foreign player return home this season as earlier, Anrich Nortje had also left the squad for reasons unknown. The problem for the team is that Breetzke's departure comes at a time where they are already lacking consistency. The Rishabh Pant-led side will now be looking to cope without him.

Matthew Breetzke, who could get the chances to feature in the XI considering the form off other overseas stars, had left the LSG camp on April 26 prior to the match against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Sources close to the development have reported that the 27-year-old batter has returned back home in South Africa due to a personal tragedy.

A close relative from his wife's family passed away, which necessitated his sudden departure. At this moment of time, there is no news about when the batter would return to the IPL for the remaining matches.

The departure leaves a hole in the LSG lineup as the batting lineup has not been performing consistently throughout the tournament this season and will have to readjust themselves without Breetzke.

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As a fillip to the team LSG squad received an instant boost with the availability ofJosh Inglis, the wicket-keeper batter who earlier made it known to the franchises that he will have limited availability due to his wedding to be held on April 18 in Margaret River, Western Australia.

The wicket keeper batter who was previously let go of by Punjab Kings was bought for a whopping INR 8.60 crore by LSG. He has had a fair outing last season where he amassed 278 runs in 11 innings at an average of 30.88 and a strike rate of 162.57.

He has already been spotted training with the LSG squad and could make it to the playing XI very soon. With the current overseas batters finding it tough to get going, especially Nicholas Pooran, who has had an average of 10.25 this season, and the continued below-par form from the likes of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh, Inglis is set to make an impact.

LSG have tough fixtures lined up in the upcoming week as they have 3 games in a span of 7 days, the first one being against the Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.