Lucknow Super Giants would have hoped for a better start to their IPL campaign in front of their home fans, but things didn’t go according to plan against a ruthless Delhi Capitals side. A batting collapse saw them post a modest 141, inviting early criticism over some questionable decisions.
Despite a strong fightback with the ball and four quick early wickets, LSG were unable to seize control of the game. An unbeaten 119-run stand between Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs turned the contest on its head for DC. As the momentum slipped away, it also exposed deeper concerns around LSG’s overall team balance.
Irfan Pathan was quick to analyse the situation and point out his concerns over the lack of balance in LSG’s playing XI.
Pathan remarked, “When they got the first four wickets, they would have thought they had the game in their hands. If they had kept taking wickets, they might have won it despite such a small target. The only thing they need to worry about is not their bowling or fielding, but their batting. Their batting still goes only up to seven.”
His observation brought the focus straight to LSG’s batting depth, or the lack of it.
In T20 cricket, momentum can shift quickly, and batting depth often makes the difference—something evident in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, where roles across the lineup were clearly defined. LSG’s batting calls, however, felt off on the day. Rishabh Pant was promoted to open despite the past success of Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram in the role, but the move failed, and the middle order couldn’t recover after early setbacks.
While tactical variations are important for a winning team, they can backfire if they disrupt a working formula.
Pathan also questioned the use of the Impact Player. He said, “Even in the playing XI, when they announced the squad, Shahbaz Ahmed wasn’t there, and he isn’t even a pure batter, he’s an all-rounder. Yes, he has scored nearly 400 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, so he is in form. But you brought him in as an impact player and sacrificed a proper bowler in Digvesh Rathi. I think they need to sort out their balance. You need at least eight batters, especially on days when you collapse like that. You need to add one more batter there.”
The batting collapse raised further questions, particularly around Ahmed being used as an Impact Player rather than starting in place of Rathi. He failed to justify the call, scoring just 15 off 16 balls. The decision eventually backfired, as LSG found themselves chasing a comeback without their proven spinner Rathi, who had taken 14 wickets in 13 matches in IPL 2025.
The message is clear for LSG, such reactive decisions could continue to hurt their campaign if not aligned properly with match situations.
