Lucknow: Lucknow’s chance to leap into the IPL 2025’s top two vanished under the lights of their home stadium. Despite a promising start, Rishabh Pant’s Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) succumbed to a decisive eight-wicket defeat at the hands of the Delhi Capitals (DC) on Tuesday.
The Ekana Cricket Stadium buzzed with anticipation as LSG’s openers, Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh, built a sturdy platform. At the innings’ halfway point, the hosts looked set for a formidable total. However, Markram’s dismissal for a well-compiled 52 triggered a significant slowdown. The subsequent ten overs yielded a mere 72 runs, leaving LSG with a final score of 159 for six – a total that felt considerably less than what their strong start promised.
Adding to the head-scratching moments was skipper Rishabh Pant’s unexpected drop down the batting order to number seven. Arriving at the crease with only two balls remaining, he was dismissed for a duck, a decision that ignited immediate debate about the team’s tactical approach.
The Capitals’ response was clinical. Abhishek Porel and KL Rahul anchored the chase with well-crafted half-centuries, guiding their team to victory with a comfortable 13 balls to spare. This win not only avenged their narrow one-run loss to LSG earlier in the tournament, where Ashutosh Sharma’s late heroics nearly snatched victory, but also highlighted LSG’s inability to capitalize on home advantage in what was billed as a revenge match.Experts Question LSG’s Strategy and Leadership
Former wicketkeeper Mark Boucher didn’t mince his words when analyzing LSG’s performance. Expressing surprise at the dismissals of Markram and Nicholas Pooran, he pointedly criticized the team’s strategy in the latter half of their innings.
Boucher questioned the initial exclusion of in-form batter Ayush Badoni, suggesting he should have featured ahead of Abdul Samad. While Badoni did enter the fray as an Impact Player later in the innings, Boucher felt the decision was too late to have a significant impact.
The most baffling decision, according to Boucher, was Pant’s late arrival to the crease. He argued that constant changes to the batting order were disrupting the team’s rhythm and emphasized the importance of backing key batters and providing them ample time in the middle. “Markram and Pooran got out, and then some weird decisions were made in the middle stages,” Boucher stated. “It does seem like the captain is under pressure.”
Echoing these sentiments, legendary Indian spinner Anil Kumble also weighed in on the tactical missteps. He agreed that Pant’s demotion in the batting order was questionable, stressing the need for clarity and strong leadership within the LSG camp.
Kumble emphasized that for LSG to bounce back from this setback, the leadership group must engage in “honest conversations.” He believes such discussions are crucial for aligning strategy, boosting team morale, and ensuring that their best players are utilized in roles where they can maximize their impact. “There were moments when we questioned why Rishabh Pant wasn’t batting in a certain position and why those changes were made,” Kumble noted. “It’s about how well they come together, sit around the table, and have honest conversations.”
Currently positioned fifth in the IPL 2025 standings, LSG will look to regroup as they face Hardik Pandya’s Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on April 27. They will need to address the questions surrounding their batting order and overall strategy if they aim to reignite their campaign.
