Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are going through a tough phase in IPL 2026. The team has managed to win only two out of seven matches so far and is currently placed ninth on the points table with just four points. One of the main reasons behind their poor performance has been the disappointing form of their two most expensive players – captain Rishabh Pant and vice-captain Nicholas Pooran. The franchise invested heavily in both players, spending ₹48 crores out of a total purse of ₹120 crores, which is nearly 40%. Earlier, LSG had an expensive buy of Rishabh Pant (₹27 crore) in IPL 2025. Nicholas Pooran was retained by the franchise before the IPL 2025 mega auction for a sum of ₹21 crore after being signed earlier for ₹16 crore. However, the returns so far have been far from expectations. As the season progresses, the team will need its star players to step up quickly. Otherwise, their chances of making a comeback in IPL 2026 could become very slim. Rishabh Pant struggling with form and pressure LSG captain, Rishabh Pant has not been able to find his rhythm this season. The aggressive batter has scored only 147 runs in seven innings, with a strike rate of just 132.43, which is below his usual standards. His recent dismissal for a duck against the Rajasthan Royals (RR) highlighted his struggles. Pant seems to be under mental pressure and is unable to balance between playing aggressively and building an innings. Experts have also pointed out issues in his approach. According to former cricketer Saba Karim, Pant has not yet found his correct game plan in T20 cricket this season. Even when he scored 68* off 50 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad, his slow innings made the chase harder than it should have been. The team eventually won the match with just one ball remaining, instead of finishing it comfortably earlier. When Pant tried to shift gears and play aggressively in recent matches, he struggled to score even 20 runs in four of the last five games. Former fast bowler Dale Steyn believes Pant has lost his natural rhythm due to the pressure of poor form. Nicholas Pooran’s dip in form adds to worries for Lucknow Nicholas Pooran’s performance has also been a major concern for Lucknow this season. Bought for 21 crores, he has scored only 73 runs in seven matches at a poor strike rate of 82.02. This is a huge drop compared to last season, where Pooran scored 524 runs with an impressive strike rate of 196.25 and played a key role in the team’s success. His current form is affecting the entire batting order. According to Dale Steyn, Pooran’s struggles have forced the team to make constant changes in their lineup. LSG’s team combination issues and experiments Because of Pooran’s poor form, the team management is making several adjustments. Aiden Markram, who was successful as an opener last season with 445 runs, is now being used in the middle order. This change has reduced his effectiveness, as he is not playing in his preferred role. To manage the situation, the team is also trying new combinations, such as sending Ayush Badoni alongside Mitchell Marsh in the powerplay. However, these experiments have not worked well. The team is losing early wickets and coming under pressure, making it difficult to recover in matches. Pressure mounting on Lucknow’s team management The management still seems to have faith in Pooran’s past performances and is hesitant to drop him. But this decision is putting additional pressure on the team balance. With both Pant and Pooran struggling at the same time, Lucknow Super Giants are finding it hard to build momentum in the tournament. Post navigation MS Dhoni’s participation uncertain as CSK host struggling GT:Samson vs Siraj in spotlight, can Gujarat avoid hat-trick of losses?
