Lucknow Super Giants faced a defeat by 56 runs at the hands of Gujarat Titans in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 match on Sunday. The loss has raised questions about the team’s captain, Krunal Pandya, and coach Gautam Gambhir’s decision-making skills, specifically concerning their choice of the batting order. The team’s start to their chase of a mammoth target of 228 runs was promising as they reached 114 runs for the loss of just one wicket in 12.1 overs. However, the pace of scoring runs slowed down significantly as the game progressed, with Deepak Hooda, Marcus Stoinis, Nicholas Pooran, and Ayush Badoni all failing to score significant runs.
Former India cricketer Virender Sehwag criticized the LSG team management, including Pandya and Gambhir, for their decision-making over the batting order during the game. Sehwag questioned the team’s decision to send Hooda to bat third instead of an in-form batter like Pooran or Badoni. Sehwag believed that had Pooran or Badoni come to bat earlier, they could have scored quick runs and changed the outcome of the game.
Sehwag explained that LSG made a significant blunder during the match that led to their defeat. He added that the team lost the game at the moment when the decision was made to send Hooda to bat. Sehwag suggested that if Nicholas Pooran had come in at that moment, he could have scored a 20-ball 50 and turned the game around. Similarly, Ayush Badoni, who scored 21 runs off 11 balls in the previous game against Chennai, could have increased the pace of scoring.
Lucknow Super Giants are still third in the points table with five wins, five losses, and one no-result to their name. However, Krunal Pandya would need to improve his captaincy game if the franchise is to qualify for the playoffs. Pandya has been given the team’s baton in the absence of KL Rahul, but he doesn’t have much captaincy experience at this level. With just a few games left in the season, the LSG team will need to make some changes to their strategy to secure a spot in the playoffs.
