IPL 2026: 3 reasons why Lucknow Super Giants faltered
What's the story
Lucknow Super Giants, led by Rishabh Pant, were among the first sides to be knocked out of the IPL 2026 playoff race. Despite inspiring hope in phases, LSG's campaign never took off. While LSG boast one of the strongest fast-bowling units, batters let them down. LSG will play for pride in their last three games. Here are the reasons why they faltered this season.
#1
LSG lose low-scoring encounters
In a season of 200-plus totals galore, LSG went past this mark only thrice (in 11 games so far). Although the games at Ekana Stadium, LSG's home ground, are usually low-scoring, the hosts lost the majority of them. They perished for 141 (vs Delhi Capitals) and even failed to chase down 160 (vs Rajasthan Royals) and 156 (Kolkata Knight Riders).
#2
Form of marquee players haunts LSG
One of the major talking points of LSG's campaign was Nicholas Pooran's poor form. In his first eight innings, Pooran managed just 82 runs at a strike rate of 81.19. Although a blazing 21-ball 63 against Mumbai Indians gave him a boost, his strike rate is still under 125. So is the case with skipper Pant, who has a solitary 50-plus score to show.
#3
Unstable line-up, impact
Barring Mitchell Marsh, none of the LSG batters got going in IPL 2026. From Aiden Markram to Josh Inglis and even Ayush Badoni, his batting partners were constantly changed. Batters like Mukul Choudhary and Himmat Singh showed their impact in phases, but inconsistency was a pain point. Even Digvesh Singh Rathi was wicketless on several occasions, leaking runs at 10.00 per over.
Information
Standing in 2026
LSG are currently last in the 10-team points table with three wins in 11 games. They finished in the bottom half in 2025 and 2024 as well. Pant is yet to justify his ₹27 crore price tag.