View source for LBW: Love Beyond Wicket

{{Short description|2026 Indian television series}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2026}}
{{Infobox television
| image                = LBW - Love Beyond Wicket Poster.jpg
| image_alt            = 
| caption              = Official Poster
| native_name          = 
| genre                = {{Plainlist|
* [[Coming-of-age]]
* [[Sports drama]]
}}
| creator              = 
| writer               = Aruna Rakhee
| director             = Ganesh Karthikeyan,<br />Koan
| starring             = {{Plainlist|
* [[Vikranth]]
* Smruthi Mohankumar
* [[Sindhu Shyam]]
* Daffe Naveen
* Akshatha
* Ayaz Khan
* Niyathi Kadambi
* Nikhil Nair
* Gundu Karthik 
* Viswa Mitran
* Harish
* Mrudula
}}
| theme_music_composer = Arun Raj
| composer             = Sudharshan
| open_theme           = 
| end_theme            = 
| country              = India
| language             = Tamil(Original), Telugu, Kannada, Hindi, Malayalam.
| num_seasons          = 1
| num_episodes         = 60
| list_episodes        = 
| executive_producer   = RJ Shyam Sundar
| producer             = Padmini Rajavelu<br />Rajavelu
| cinematography       = Barathkumar Gopinath
| editor               = Vignesh Arjun<br />Sreedhar M
| runtime              = 
| company              = A Tele Factory
| budget               = 
| network              = [[JioHotstar]]
| first_aired          = {{Start date|2026|01|01|df=y}}
| last_aired           = present <!-- {{End date|2026|MM|DD}} -->
}}

'''''LBW: Love Beyond Wicket''''' is an Indian [[Tamil television drama|Tamil]]-language [[coming-of-age]] [[sports drama]] television series written by Aruna Rakhee, directed by Ganesh Karthikeyan, and starring [[Vikranth]], Niyathi Kadambi, Harish, Daffe Naveen, Gundu Karthik [[Sindhu Shyam]], Smruthi Mohankumar and Ayaz Khan.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Dec/22/vikranth-on-lbw-love-beyond-wicket-lbw-allowed-me-to-explore-my-connection-with-cricket|title=Vikranth on LBW- Love Beyond Wicket: 'LBW allowed me to explore my connection with cricket…'|website=[[Cinema Express]]|date=22 December 2025|language=en}}</ref> The series' story is based on [[Cricket]] coach Rangan and his students. It premiered on [[JioHotstar]] on January 1, 2026.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/news/2025/Dec/17/vikranths-lbw-love-beyond-wicket-gets-ott-premiere-date|title=Vikranth's LBW - Love Beyond Wicket gets OTT premiere date|website=[[Cinema Express]]|date=17 December 2025|language=en}}</ref>

== Synopsis ==
This series follows a failed [[cricket]] player turned coach for the Muthu Nagar Cricket Academy team (Rangan). Rangan's journey along with students at the struggling academy, who unite to preserve a legacy while finding their own paths, forms the main plotline.

== Cast ==
* [[Vikranth]] as Rangan 
* Smruthi Mohankumar as Minister Tulasi
* [[Sindhu Shyam]] as Rukmini 
* Daffe Naveen as Matheyan
* Akshatha as Theovathy
* Ayaz Khan as Manikandan
* Niyathi Kadambi as Thangam
* Nikhil Nair as Rishi
* Gundu Karthik as Pandu
* Vishwa Mithran as Veera
* Mohan Brat as Jackie
* Sikkandar Basha as Velu
* Jeeva Balchandran as Girish
* Mrudula as Anu
* Sneha Sakthi as Varsha
* Harishankar Narayanan as Rajashekhar
* Sowmya Sharon as Lara
* Kavya Amira as Padma
* [[Ram G]] as Vinay

== Production ==
=== Development ===
The series was announced by [[JioHotstar]] under the banner of ''South UnBound'' on 9 December 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/television/jiohotstar-outlines-a-bold-vision-for-south-indias-creative-future-at-a-landmark-event-graced-by-tamil-nadus-honble-deputy-chief-minister-and-south-cinemas-biggest-icons-1922733|title=JioHotstar South Unbound: 25 Titles Revealed for 2026 |website=[[Deccan Chronicle]]|date=9 December 2025|language=en}}</ref> The platform plans to launch nine new original shows in Tamil language.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/web-series/jiohotstar-25-new-titles-tamil-telugu-malayalam-kannada-article-153269655|title=JioHotstar Unveils South Indian Lineup Featuring Heartbeart Season 3, The Good Wife Season 2, Kaattaan Starring Vijay Sethupathi, and the Launch of Roadies in Telugu|website=[[Zoom (Indian TV channel)]]|date=9 December 2025|language=en}}</ref> This series was created as the first series of the [[Hotstar Specials]] lineup in 2026.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ottplay.com/news/jiohotstar-latest-january-2026-releases-vikranths-lbw-love-beyond-wicket-to-riteish-deshmukhs-bigg-boss-marathi-season-6/f16186e9b1621|title=JioHotstar latest January 2026 releases: Vikranth's LBW-Love Beyond Wicket to Riteish Deshmukh's Bigg Boss Marathi Season 6|website=www.ottplay.com|date=22 December 2025|language=en}}</ref>

The series is directed by Ganesh Karthikeyan, written by Aruna Rakhee and producer by A Tele Factory, who previously produced ''[[Chinna Thambi (TV series)|Chinna Thambi]]'', ''[[Eeramana Rojave (TV series)|Eeramana Rojave 2]]'' and ''[[Heart Beat (TV series)|Heart Beat]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tamil.webdunia.com/article/tamil-cinema-news-movie-film/vikranth-set-for-ott-debut-with-cricket-based-web-series-lbw-125122400021_1.html|script-title=ta:அட்லி தயாரிப்பில் விக்ராந்த் நடிக்கும் வெப்சீரீஸ்.. ரிலீஸ் தேதி அறிவிப்பு..! |trans-title=A Tele Factory produced a new web series|website=tamil.webdunia.com|language=ta |access-date=December 24, 2025}}</ref>

=== Casting ===
Actor [[Vikranth]] play the a [[Cricket]] coach Rangan. This is his debut role in a limited series,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dinamani.com/cinema/cinema-news/2025/Dec/24/vikranth-makes-his-debut-in-a-web-series |script-title=ta:இணையத் தொடரில் அறிமுகமாகும் விக்ராந்த்! வெளியீட்டுத் தேதி அறிவிப்பு!|trans-title=Vikranth makes his debut in a web series|website=[[Dinamani]] |language=ta |access-date=December 24, 2025}}</ref> alongside Akshatha, Daffe Naveen, Niyathi Kadambi, Harish, [[Sindhu Shyam]] and Ayaz Khan.

=== Release ===
The first trailer was released under the banner of South UnBound on 9 December 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ottplay.com/news/lbw-ott-release-date-when-and-where-to-stream-vikranths-cricket-drama-trailer-out/63b454871e84|title=LBW OTT release date: When and where to stream Vikranth’s cricket drama; trailer out|website=www.ottplay.com|date=17 December 2025|language=en}}</ref> The first promo was released on 17 December 2025 and revealed the releasing date.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://newstodaynet.com/2025/12/23/jiohotstar-unveils-promo-for-new-tamil-series-lbw/|title=JioHotstar unveils promo for new Tamil series ‘LBW’|website=[[News Today]]|date=23 December 2025|language=en}}</ref> On 22 December 2025, was releasing the series song. The series was released on 1 January 2026 in Tamil, [[Telugu language|Telugu]], [[Malayalam]], [[Kannada]], [[Hindi]], [[Marathi language|Marathi]] and [[Bengali language|Bengali]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dtnext.in/entertainment/ott/vikranths-lbw-to-stream-from-jan-1|title=Vikranth’s LBW to stream from Jan 1|website=[[DT Next]]|date=20 December 2025|language=en}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|tt39182415}}

{{Disney+ Hotstar Tamil original programming}}
[[Category:Tamil-language web series]]
[[Category:2026 Tamil-language television series debuts]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Disney+ Hotstar original programming]]
[[Category:Tamil-language school television series]]
[[Category:Tamil-language teen television series]]
[[Category:Tamil-language sports television series]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Tamil Nadu
[[Category:Upcoming Tamil-language series]]