Nothing seems to be going right for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after the Sanjiv Goenka-led side slumped to their sixth Indian Premier League (IPL) defeat at the hands of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday. Chasing 156 runs, LSG were steamrolling to level the scores thanks to a six from Mohammed Shami on the last ball of their chase.
With just two wins in eight matches so far in IPL 2026, things will be tough for the Rishabh Pant-led side. Despite having some of the biggest names in T20 cricket at home and around the world, LSG didn’t seem to get the right combination in IPL 2026.
While the bowlers performed as a unit throughout, LSG’s batting unit failed to crack the code, something Pant himself admitted on several occasions. While Nicolas Pooran totally failed in the middle order, too many combinations at the top also affected them negatively.
Against KKR, Pant’s decision to hand the final over to Digvesh Rathi and send the out-of-form Pooran to the Super Over also came under heavy criticism. In fact, it was Rinku Singh’s four sixes as Rathi turned the game in KKR’s favour. When asked about the decision, Pant backed his players but also hinted that too many opinions may have influenced the decision.
“It’s always going to be a pressure game, but at the same time we have to look for answers inside, not outside,” Pant said after the match. “And too many minds on the ground doesn’t make it easy,” added Pant, who was bought by LSG ₹27 crores during the 2024 auction.
Also, who is Rishabh Pant referring to?
While he didn’t name anyone, the LSG skipper may have been pointing fingers at the star-studded backstage staff. LSG’s background includes Justin Langer (Head Coach), Bharat Arun (Bowling Coach), Lance Klusener (Assistant Coach), Ryan Cook (Assistant Coach), Tom Moody (Director of Cricket), Carl Crowe (Spin Bowling Coach), Kane Williamson (Strategic Advisor).
Former South African pacer Shaun Pollock pointed out that such a comment from the captain is “not good” and certainly sums up the whole issue. “It’s not really good that it’s coming from the captain because he’s basically saying too many people are giving me information; he’s kind of throwing the management group under the bus,” Pollock told Cricbuzz.
“Maybe we don’t know how it works; that’s the problem. You don’t know who has the last call, you don’t know who is sitting with him and giving him an understanding of what he feels or who is having discussions with him,” the former Mumbai Indians cricketer added.
What’s next for LSG in IPL 2026?
As a result, LSG are languishing at the bottom of the points table with just four points. With six games remaining, LSG must want it all to have a chance to qualify for the playoffs. LSG next match Mumbai Indians on 4th May.
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