Three weeks and seven matches into IPL 2026 — the halfway mark — and Lucknow Super Giants have just two wins to show. Five defeats, including four on the trot, have left them ninth on the points table. And their situation screams for one thing above all — a definitive batting plan with half a season still to go.
It was the pacers who set up their first win, against Sunrisers Hyderabad 18 days ago, and it was the fast-bowling unit again that laid the foundation for a potential victory on Wednesday at Ekana. But the batting unit failed to respond, collapsing for just 119 with two overs to spare in a chase of 160 — a pattern that has defined their season.
At the heart of it lies LSG’s lack of clarity — constant shuffling in the batting order and continued backing of an out-of-form Nicholas Pooran.
In seven matches so far, Lucknow have experimented with three different opening combinations. On four occasions, they stuck with the familiar pairing of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh — a combination that delivered success last season. Yet, in two games, they opted for surprise tweaks. In the opener, Rishabh Pant promoted himself to open alongside Marsh. Against Punjab, Ayush Badoni was tried in the role and retained against Rajasthan.
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Pant was never a natural fit at the top, something he himself admitted as a tactical move to maintain a left-right combination. Badoni, though experienced in the role at the domestic level, failed to deliver consistency. Meanwhile, Markram — who entered the season in red-hot form after a stellar T20 World Cup campaign, averaging 66 at a strike rate above 175 — was pushed down the order, culminating in a duck against Rajasthan.
Lack of clarity on Rishabh Pant’s role
That wasn’t the only misstep. The Marsh-Markram-Pooran trio had formed a formidable top three last season, with Pooran scoring 466 runs in 12 innings at a staggering strike rate of 201.7. Yet this season, amid his dip in form, Lucknow have shuffled his role. While Pant occupied No. 3 in six matches, Pooran drifted between No. 4 and 5, managing just 73 runs off 89 balls — a shadow of his usual self.
Pooran has clearly struggled, and it may be time for LSG to make a decisive call — either back him consistently at No. 3 or consider bringing in Matthew Breetzke.
Lucknow must also recognise Pant’s optimal role. His numbers peak in the latter middle overs (strike rate 154.92) and soar in the death (218.29), making him best suited to No. 5. In contrast, his powerplay strike rate dips to 103.33, underlining the risk of pushing him up the order.
The solution appears straightforward — return to Marsh and Markram at the top, followed by Pooran and Breetzke, with Pant and Badoni carrying the momentum into the slog overs. In case, the West Indies batter fails again, Breetzke can be pushed to the No. 3 role, followed by Badoni and then Pant.
The season is far from over. But without a clear, decisive batting strategy, Lucknow risk fading into oblivion.