IPL 2026: What’s ailing Rishabh Pant’s Lucknow Super Giants?

Winning is a habit, but so is losing. The word that is often used in cricket, especially the T20 format, is momentum. For now, it's safe to say that the Lucknow Super Giants have heaps of negative momentum in their favour.

So much so that even their skipper is relieved at his team getting a scheduled break. LSG's next game is only on May 4 – an away fixture against the Mumbai Indians in Mumbai. With the team struggling to win, a break is perhaps not a bad thing to arrest the slide.

"I think we definitely need a break. I think we're gonna refresh," said Pant at the presentation ceremony after the Super Over defeat against the Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday (April 26).

Personally, Pant had a difficult game as both captain and batter. While his team had the grip over KKR's batter for a major part of the first innings, Rinku Singh's flourish ensured a mammoth 26-run final over to give the visitors some momentum.

Digvesh Rathi, who bowled that 20th over, was carted for four sixes as Rinku took down the wrist spinner with aplomb. From the surface, it might not seem a poor move from Pant as he had no other choice. All the pacers were bowled out and only two other options were possible.

One was George Linde, but his left-arm finger spin meant a positive match up for Rinku and then the part-time off spin of Aiden Markram who had bowled two overs for just nine runs. Rathi had also given only 20 off his three overs.

Regardless, using spin in the final over against a well-set batter is always a risk and Pant was criticised for not rotating his bowlers better. Rathi could have bowled that over at any point in the previous four overs and Rinku arguably couldn't have taken that risk.

However, Pant defended his move to bowl Rathi in the 20th over and also dropped a massive cryptic line that suggests potential leadership problems in the LSG camp. With two international captains in Mitchell Marsh and Markram already there, not to forget the experience of Nicholas Pooran, there is a lot of advice for Pant to look up to.

However, Pant clearly doesn't seem to be enjoying the overload of information that he is getting in the form of advice. He admitted that Rathi's over could have been bowled early but also slipped in a shocker to end his presentation chat.

"Too many minds doesn't make it easy on the ground." said Pant.

Whether it is a dig at some of his fellow senior players or a hint at a possible mid-season captaincy sacking, only time will tell. Pant's batting has also been on the decline in T20 cricket and he looked a shadow of his actual self, taking 38 balls for his scratchy knock of 42.

Lucknow's pitches have helped the fast bowlers greatly in the recent past, with the extra bounce and two-paced nature evening up the balance between bat and ball. This, though, has been a major drawback for LSG whose batters largely rely on true pitches for their strokeplay.

When you have Markram, Pooran, Marsh and Pant as your top-four, Lucknow wouldn't be anywhere near the top half of the preferred list of home venues, certainly not with these kind of pitches. Of course, you need to be adaptable and they are all world-class batters.

Pooran's decline has been much more shocking than Pant's, given that the West Indian seemed to be in top rhythm till the end of last year. That doesn't seem to be the case any longer. The bowlers are in good shape and that is LSG's only saving grace for now.

However, to break their jinx at home, Pant's LSG needs to do a lot of revamp in thought and strategy. For now, it doesn't seem like their batting resources have the ability to adapt to the existing nature of Lucknow pitches. Unless the tracks are made more batting friendly, a turnaround looks difficult.

Among the concerns LSG have, the leadership issue and Lucknow surface top the list. Will there indeed be a mid-season captaincy sacking? Things do seem to be heading that way unless Pant can engineer a dramatic turnaround.