LBW: Love Beyond Wicket Series Review (2026): Ganesh Karthikeyan directed the Tamil sports drama ‘LBW-Love Beyond Wicket’, which is a refreshing start to Tamil OTT content in 2026. The show premiered on January 1, 2026, exclusively on JioHotstar, and it presents the perfect blend of sports drama with emotion, mentorship, and redemption.
With the first few episodes, it is clear that LBW – Love Beyond Wicket doesn’t rely on high-octane match sequences, but the series chooses a grounded, character-driven approach that slowly builds emotional resonance. LBW is led by Vikranth in a restrained and very powerful performance, and it has proven that sports stories can be deeply human without being overly dramatic.
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Baapofmovies.com Rating: 3.5/5
- Streaming Date: January 1, 2025
- Streaming on: JioHotstar
- Runtime: 22-25 Minutes
- Director: Ganesh Karthikeyan
- Writer: Aruna Rakhee
- Stars: Vikranth, Niyathi Kadambi, Sindhu Shyam, and others
Watch LBW Love Beyond Wicket Episodes
Love Beyond Wicket Story Overview: More Than Just a Cricket Series
LBW – Love Beyond Wicket is a long series that has a total of 40 episodes. The first 4 episodes of the show were released on January 1, 2025. From now on, every week on Thursday a new episode will be released. It is the story of Rangan (played by Vikranth), who is a once-talented cricketer whose dreams never translated into success. As the time changes, Rangan has become a coach and is now assigned to train an underperforming team at a struggling cricket academy. The academy’s future depends on the team’s performance, and that adds emotional and professional pressure to an already broken man.
The cricket provides the backdrop, but the LBW story focuses more on internal battles that are self-doubt, lost opportunities, and fractured trust. Rangan navigates his complicated relationship with the players, and the series explores the key concepts of team building, that is, mentorship, teamwork, and the power of second chances. One crucial decision slowly changes the course of both the team and Rangan’s own life.
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LBW-Love Beyond Wicket Cast Performances: Subtle Yet Effective
Vikranth has done an amazing job to deliver a mature and nuanced performance as Rangan, and this makes a confident OTT debut in a long-format role. He captures the frustration of unrealized potential with quiet intensity, and it gradually reveals the warmth beneath his stern exterior. His portrayal is very smooth, and it anchors the series emotionally and feels deeply authentic.
The supporting cast that includes Sindhu Shyam, Niyathi, Harish, Ayaz Khan, Akshatha, Naveen, Nikhil Nair, and Viswa Mithran worked very well, as they added much-needed depth to the narrative. The young actors playing the cricketers bring realism to their roles. However, some characters could have much deeper backstories.
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What’s Good
LBW’s biggest strength is its realistic treatment of cricket. The match sequences feel very natural, as it avoids typical unnecessary dramatization, and has a major focus on strategy, emotion, and teamwork. Director Ganesh Karthikeyan has done a good job. He kept the storytelling grounded and allowed relationships to evolve naturally.
Writer Aruna Rakhee is the winner of the show. She deserves credit for steering clear of sports drama cliches. The dialogue feels organic, and emotional moments never cross into melodrama. The weekly episode release format will work in favour of the show, and this will give the story room to breathe and characters time to grow.
What’s Bad: Slow Pacing May Test Patience
The measured pacing adds depth, but on the other side, it feels slow at times. There are some subplots and character stories that are not fully explored, which in turn affects narrative balance.
Final Verdict: A Sincere Win for Sports Drama Lovers
Overall, Love Beyond Wicket is not flashy but is an emotional series. The series is well supported by strong performances, thoughtful writing, and a relatable core, and it stands out as a meaningful sports drama.
If you are one of those viewers who enjoy character-driven storytelling with heart, then LBW is a worthy and rewarding watch.
Watch LBW-Love Beyond Wicket Promo
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