Last Updated on 1 week by Charbel Coorey

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) boast a powerhouse batting lineup capable of dismantling opponents on their day. Yet, predictable patterns let opponents exploit matchups, while a fragile lower order whispers vulnerability.

With injuries crippling their pace attack, LSG’s best shot at success is to double down on their batting strengths while plugging tactical gaps. Promoting Rishabh Pant to open, unlocking Ayush Badoni’s potential higher up, and reinforcing the lower order with Abdul Samad could be game-changers. Here’s how LSG can fine-tune their lineup for maximum impact.

LSG’s XII from the clash against Delhi Capitals

Aiden Markram (OS), Mitchell Marsh (OS), Nicholas Pooran (OS), Rishabh Pant (c & wk), David Miller (OS), Ayush Badoni, Shardul Thakur, Shahbaz Ahmed, Ravi Bishnoi, Digvesh Singh, Prince Yadav, Manimaran Siddharth (impact)

The right-handed overseas opening pair of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh brings undeniable prowess against pace, but their susceptibility to away-spin — particularly left-arm orthodox — offers opponents a clear containment strategy. Recognising this, and noting LSG’s left-hand-heavy middle order, Axar Patel immediately brought himself on and delivered two tight overs in the Powerplay.

Following them, a left-hand-dominant middle order featuring Nicholas Pooran, Rishabh Pant, and David Miller packs a punch, excelling against left-arm spin and leg-spin. However, they could stumble against quality off-spin, provided it’s not the part-time variety like Tristan Stubbs. The top five brim with explosive firepower, but they’d need at least one to bat deep into the death overs, given the shaky lower order trailing behind.

That lower order, both inexperienced and lacking quality, adds to LSG’s vulnerabilities — further compounded by an underwhelming and injury-hit pace attack. With Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, and Akash Deep sidelined by injury, the pace unit feels nearly non-existent and raises serious questions about the team’s auction strategy. Why they failed to secure a quality overseas pacer remains a mystery, leaving LSG overly reliant on a decent but not match-defining spin unit. Ravi Bishnoi, Manimaran Siddharth, Digvesh Singh, and Markram’s part-time off-spin provide some balance, but without a stronger pace backbone, the bowling risks unravelling under pressure, forcing their explosive batting to carry an outsized load.

A Game-Changing Idea for LSG Batting: Open with Rishabh Pant

One way to shake up LSG’s approach is to open with Rishabh Pant alongside Mitchell Marsh. Here’s the case:

Benefits:

1. Disrupting the Right-Handed Opening Pair: Markram and Marsh excel against pace but can be tied down by left-arm spin. Pant’s left-handed flair breaks that pattern, forcing bowlers to adapt.
2. Balancing the Middle Order: The Pooran-Pant-Miller left-hand cluster risks predictability. Opening Pant creates left-right switches throughout, unsettling opposition plans.
3. Maximising Pant’s Strengths: Pant’s struggles with deliveries outside off are well-documented. The Powerplay’s field restrictions suit his attacking game, and a settled Pant could dominate the middle overs.

Drawback:

1. Markram’s Shift: Moving Markram to number 4 or 5 isn’t ideal, but he’s no stranger to it. For South Africa, he’s opened in just seven of 53 T20 innings, spending most of his time at number 4 or 5. Even in the IPL, the game against DC marked his first time opening, as he primarily batted in the middle order for SRH.

Overall, the upside far outweighs the downside.

Bolstering the Lower Order: Abdul Samad’s Case

Manimaran Siddharth, the 26-year-old left-arm spinner from Tamil Nadu, made waves last season by claiming Virat Kohli as his maiden IPL wicket. Back then, he leaned heavily on arm-balls, delivered with an index finger grip and an upright seam angled toward fine leg, consistently swinging the ball into right-handers at speeds topping 100kph.

This season, Siddharth has elevated his game. Beyond his natural skid, he’s now extracting sharp turn and bounce – adding another dimension to his bowling.

With Siddharth capably filling the left-arm spinner’s role, LSG could seize the opportunity to drop Shahbaz Ahmed and slot Abdul Samad into the number 7 spot to strengthen their fragile lower order.

Samad, early in his career, showed impressive pace-hitting ability. Though his sample size remains small, he boasts an average of 44.5 and a strike rate of 240.5 against short-length deliveries from pacers in the IPL.

Elevating Ayush Badoni

Ayush Badoni at number 6 feels like a waste. His crisp shot-making and game against spin suit number 3 or 4, where he could float based on matchups or wickets. Batting at number 3 in the DPL, he scored 522 runs for the South Delhi Superstarz at a blistering strike rate of 225. Batting him higher pushes Markram and Miller down, fortifying the lower order — a win-win.

The Optimised Batting Order

1. Rishabh Pant, 2. Mitchell Marsh, 3. Ayush Badoni (situation-dependent), 4. Nicholas Pooran, 5. Aiden Markram, 6. David Miller, 7. Abdul Samad, 8. Shardul Thakur