Lucknow Super Giantsโ roller coaster of a campaign continued in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. With six matches played, the side has won two matches and has lost the remaining four. Under the leadership of Rishabh Pant, LSG have been unable to find their groove.ย
The side recently took on Punjab Kings. The two teams met in the 29th game of the IPL 2026 in Mullanpur on April 19. Bowling first, LSG conceded 254 runs in the first innings. Coming out to chase the target, many were surprised after LSG decided to send Ayush Badoni to open with Mitchell Marsh and not Aiden Markram.ย
The move backfired as Lucknow only managed to score 200 runs in the second innings, eventually losing the game. Reflecting on the same, former India cricketer Zaheer Khan took centre stage and slammed the management for their decision-making.ย
“It was a bizarre call. Badoni is a capable batter with a versatile style of play. But you have to think about the season as well. Aiden Markram has now batted at three different positions this season. How will you bring in stability in the batting group? That’s where LSG is looking a little clueless in terms of managing resources and making the impact this batting lineup can have,โ Zaheer Khan told Cricbuzz.ย
Zaheer talked about Nicholas Pooranโs performance as well
It is worth noting that star batter Nicholas Pooran has been unable to find his form for LSG this season. In the run chase against Punjab Kings, Pooran only managed to score nine runs in just as many deliveries. Zaheer Khan weighed in on the same as well.ย
“He’s a class player, so it’s just about giving him confidence. Make sure he has the clarity of his role of putting bowlers under pressure. For the target tonight, you can lose, but with the intent you should have. The concerning part is that was missing. Once the ball was full, it was like he was getting into his innings before hitting sixes,” said Zaheer.
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