LSG IPL 2026 post-mortem: How Rishabh Pant’s woes and Indian core’s weaknesses became a disaster in the making

Lucknow Super Giants (BCCI Photo) NEW DELHI: Ever since entering the fray in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have always promised a journey into the new campaign.But as the campaign ages, that promise evaporates into thin air. And the 2026 season offered no exception.Last week, the final blow to a decaying season came at home in Lucknow where Shreyas Iyer’s brutal unbeaten first IPL century propelled the Punjab Kings to a crushing 7-wicket victory.Chasing 197, PBKS crossed the line with two full overs to spare. For Lucknow Super Giants, the 68 match was not just another loss.Rather, it was a microscopic reflection of their entire year, with huge potential early on, only to see the bowling unit completely disintegrate under pressure.

Final standings

As the dust settled on the IPL 2026 league stage, Lucknow Super Giants found themselves buried at the very bottom of the table.It was an unmitigated disaster for a franchise built on high expectations.

IPL 2026 Points Table

PosTeamPWLNRPtsNRR1Royal Challengers Bengaluru (Q)1495018+0.7832Gujarat Titans (Q)1495018+0.6953Sunrisers Hyderabad (Q)1495018+0.5244Rajasthan Royals (Rajasthan60jabKing9604) (E)1476115+0.3096Delhi Capitals (E)1477014-0.6517Kolkata Knight Riders (E)1467113-0.1478Chennai Super Kings (E)1468012-0.3459Mumbai Indians (E) Giubai1408005 (E)1441008-0.740Q = Qualifying for Playoffs | E = Discarded

The main reasons for not participating in the playoffs

Missing pieces and damage violationsThe Emptiness of Wanindu Hasaranga: Director of Cricket Tom Moody openly admitted that the loss of Hasaranga before the season had completely disrupted the team’s structural plan. He was supposed to provide “mystery spin” in the middle overs and vital lower-order depth at number eight. Without him, the middle overs kept leaking runs.Insufficient bowling depth: Apart from Prince Yadav, who has picked up 16 wickets from 14 matches, the key home options have struggled with consistency and fitness, leaving veterans like Mohammed Shami with too heavy a burden on their shoulders.Constant mixing in the lineup: Lacking tactical anchors meant LSG spent the season mixing and matching combinations, preventing the playing XI from developing organic chemistry.High overseas price and marquee core failureRs 27 crore weight: Rishabh Pant’s record auction tag has become more of a burden than a blessing. He opened the innings, came down the order and was even tasked with anchoring the middle order while captaining the ship. And what was the result? Pant managed only 312 runs in 14 matches at an average of 28.36 and a strike rate of 138.05.

Lucknow: Lucknow Super Giants’ Nicholas Pooran is bowled by Punjab Kings’ Marco Jansen during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 T20 cricket match (PTI Photo/Atul Yadav)

Expected Roles vs. Actual Returns: While the likes of Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis held their end brilliantly at the top, the rest of the overseas batting core disappeared when needed most. Nicholas Pooran, usually an apex predator in the middle order, has suffered a catastrophic slump in form with 234 runs in 14 matches at an alarming average of 18, epitomized by his 2-ball duck against Punjab in the last match.No return from lower order: LSG spent huge money on players who repeatedly failed to build on strong powerplay platforms, regularly exposing an underequipped lower order.

Should LSG consider changing their captain for the 2027 season?

The campaign was marred by the inconsistency of the Indian coreLSG’s season was plagued with wild swings but ended with absolute collapses and lack of homegrown stars like Avesh Khan, Digvesh Rathi and Shardul Thakur.They failed to string together back-to-back wins and lost all the momentum they had built up.

LSG team (ANI photo)

LSG started the season with immediate stumbles. They lost to Delhi Capitals at the start of the season but turned their three-game winning streak on the trot before coming down hard against Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings in mid-April.Just when they threatened to mount a late rally by defeating RCB on May 7, they collapsed completely, losing in emphatic fashion to CSK, RR and PBKS to comfortably secure the wooden spoon.The Fall of Ekana FortIn previous iterations, the slow and engaging nature of Ekana Stadium Lucknow made the pitch a nightmare for traveling teams. By 2026, this home advantage has completely evaporated.LSG managed only a handful of wins in front of their home crowd, losing to DC, GT, KKR and PBKS at Ekana.Traveling brought no relief. Apart from early wins against SRH and KKR, they were beaten soundly in Chennai, Mumbai and Jaipur, making their away leg a predictable nightmare.

LSG player report card

CategoryPlayersPerformance SummaryTop PerformersJosh Inglis, Mitchell MarshInglis and Marsh were lone warriors at the top, anchoring the innings with decisive knocks and providing stability in difficult situations. Their performances often kept the team competitive despite erratic support from the rest of the batting line-up. Inconsistent performers Mohammed Shami, Abdul SamadShami produced quality spells in phases but struggled under pressure during the death overs. Samad showed flashes of brilliant brilliance but failed to consistently deliver match-winning contributions. Total failure Rishabh Pant, Nicholas PooranPant failed to live up to expectations either as a batsman or as a leader, while Pooran failed to produce the explosive middle-order impact that made him one of the most dangerous players in T20 cricket.

What’s next for LSG?

The current plan relies too much on individual brilliance rather than a cohesive team structure. Tom Moody’s post-season assessment pointed to a fatal flaw: the team repeatedly lost 4–5 wickets for minimal runs in the middle stages of the innings.They are in desperate need of a tactical center towards reliable anchor accumulators who can protect the middle overs, allowing the hitters to flourish late on.

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka with LSG’s IPL 2025 captain Rishabh Pant and mentor Zaheer Khan in Kolkata. (PTI photo)

Can Rishabh Pant lead another era?

That’s the 27 million question. Pant’s tactical choices under pressure and his personal decline suggest that the burden of captaincy, along with his price tag, seriously hampered his natural flair. While he remains a generational talent, management must decide whether they need to release him by adopting another leadership voice or shifting tactical control to the coaching staff.How LSG can become a contender in 2027With 2027 serving as a crucial bridge to the massive 2028 Mega Auction, LSG’s path forward requires precise and targeted adjustments:Fix the middle order engine: Target reliable, rotation-dominant homers through the mini-auction or trade windows to stop mid-price collapses.Rebuild the rotation philosophy: Regaining a quality wrist spinner or an enigmatic option to fill the Hasaranga void is non-negotiable if they want to make Ekana a fortress again.Get rid of low-quality luggage: Free up space in the luxury wallet by ruling out highly paid international stars who have failed to deliver tangible returns.