Lucknow: Super Giants are enduring a nightmare start to IPL 2026, with their campaign teetering after five winless games in seven so far. The team, boasting a star-studded lineup, has been repeatedly outplayed on high-bouncing pitches that mimic Australian conditions rather than typical Indian tracks.
If skipper Rishabh Pant’s poor run with the willow is a setback for the side even on home turf, chief coach Justin Langer has an inkling of where the team’s problem lies. He pinpoints the core issue, including failure to adapt to extra pace and bounce, especially after losing their third consecutive match on the home turf against Rajasthan Royals by 40 runs on Wednesday night.
“We’ve been bowling quite well in the first game but we’re just not adjusting to the extra pace and bounce. We saw that we’ve been out to the short ball a number of times and that’s what I would say. So we’re not adjusting,” Langer said.
With all the pacers in the match including RR’s Jofra Archers creating havoc with his speed in the game, Langer likened the venues to the WACA ground in Perth. “We see a lot of the wickets in India where the ball doesn’t bounce very high. This is like playing at the WACA. There’s real pace and bounce, isn’t there? You’re seeing some really interesting cricket being played here and we just haven’t been able to adapt to it at this stage.”
LSG’s bowling has shown flashes of brilliance. Mohammad Shami’s crafty spells, Digvesh Rati’s promising outings, and excellent fielding have kept them competitive. The return of speedster Mayank Yadav from back surgery was a highlight.
“Mayank came back in his first match which was really good. He’s been out for some time after his back surgery. He’s shown great courage to come back. He’ll be better for the run today,” Langer praised.
Yet, the batting collapses have been catastrophic, especially in powerplays where early wickets leave them chasing their tails. But, Langer dismissed notions of a deeper batting crisis, insisting, “No, not at all. We’ve got some super talents.”
He expressed disbelief at their form: “Who would have thought at the start of the season… our batting hadn’t clicked with the calibre of players we’ve got. We could never have read that. So we’re working hard on it.”
The frustration is palpable, particularly after a strong showing against Punjab, chasing 250 contrasted by recent flops. “It’s really frustrating for our fans. It’s frustrating for everyone in the camp. Everyone’s working hard. There’s a great spirit in the team,” he admitted.
As expected Langer also defended Pant’s aggressive approach even though the batter has so far scored 147 runs at an average of 24.50 in seven matches. “He’s in that pivotal position at number 3. He came out very aggressively against Punjab… I think that’s the style of cricket he wants to play. He’ll be as frustrated as anyone that didn’t come off today.”
Cricket pundits have criticized Paks for getting out due to reckless shots rather than bowler skill, but Langer sees it as part of his natural game. “It’s all about the style of an individual and I am sure that he is capable of turning the table on any given day,” he added.
Reacting on a sharp and quick and bouncy mixed soil pitch of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium for the match against RR, Langer called it “a great cricket wicket actually. “We just need to adapt to it better. We’ve got a very good groundsman.”
Experimenting with combinations, including just three overseas players to prioritize Indian talent, reflects faith in the squad’s depth. “We certainly haven’t run out of options… That’s why so far we’ve played with three overseas players because of that incredible depth of talent over here,” he emphasized.
As LSG battles self-doubt, Langer urges resilience. “Sometimes though, when you haven’t got the confidence going your way, then the only way you can gain confidence is by playing good cricket. So we’ve got to work hard to get that back.”
With exciting cricket unfolding, LSG must crack the adaptation code to salvage their season and thrill Lucknow fans as they will now be playing their fourth home game on Sunday against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Undoubtedly, a humiliating 40-run loss to RR was quite frustrating for Pant also. “I don’t have answers. Batting has let us down. We are disappointed as a team, as a group. You have to look for answers inside, not outside,” he told the broadcaster after the match.
“We could have taken some time while batting. No excuses out there. Including myself, we could have taken it deeper. As a batting group, we have to put our hands up. We have to look at positives. We have to keep our head high and look for answers inside. We have the firepower to turn the season around,” he said.