Struggles Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the year Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 with the former Indian cricketer drawing sharp criticism Virender Sehwag clearly questioning the team’s tactical approach. As LSG continued to slide down the points table, Sehwag did not hold back, stressing what he believes are glaring decision-making lapses that have derailed their campaign.
LSG’s IPL 2026 campaign hits rock bottom
It has been a season to forget for Lucknow Super Giants, who are currently bottom of the table with just two wins from eight matches. What started as a promising campaign quickly turned into chaos, mainly due to the dramatic failure of the strike division. It was this decline that caused the most concern Nicholas Pooran. Known for his explosive batting, Poora’s strike rate has dropped from around 200 last season to an alarming 81.19 this year. His inability to accelerate had a ripple effect on the middle order.
captain Rishabh pantsSigned for a record ₹27 crore, it also struggled to perform consistently. His lack of form exposed the fragility of the batting line-up and led to repeated collapses in which the top-order batsmen fell to minimal scores.
The instability did not end there. Constant replacement of the opening combination and lack of a comprehensive key Wanindu Hasaranga Due to NOC problems, the team became more unbalanced. With a poor net run rate of -1.106 and multiple defeats at their home ground, the Ekana Stadium, LSG’s playoff hopes are virtually over.
Virender Sehwag explains the factors behind LSG’s struggles
In this downward spiral, Sehwag vehemently criticized the think tank, which included big names like Kane Williamson, Justin Langerand Tom Moody. Sehwag expressed disappointment over the team’s repeated decision to chase targets despite successive setbacks. He pointed out that it was obvious that LSG could not bat under pressure, but the team continued to choose to chase after winning the toss.
“The successful Super Giants have failed to get a total again in this IPL. I just don’t understand. You have a director of cricket and a coach. Kane Williamson, Justin Langer and Tom Moody are all there. Inka kya dimag nahi chalta? (They don’t use their brains?) Can’t they see how a team wins and still doesn’t? spin and invite the opposition to bat” Sehwag told Cricbuzz.
According to Sehwag, this rigid approach reflects a lack of adaptability. He claimed that even a modest total of 140-150 would have created scoreboard pressure on opponents, especially on slower surfaces. Instead, LSG’s insistence on chasing backfired time and time again, exposing their poor attacking depth. His remarks also hinted at confusion within the leadership group, raising questions about who was actually making the key tactical calls. For a team assembled with seasoned cricket minds, the lack of clarity in decision-making proved surprising and costly.
“Even if they score 140 to 150, there would be pressure on KKR to bat first. I don’t understand it. You can’t chase but you are hell bent on chasing. Yes, kahan ki samajhdari hai? Kaun le rahaowi who takes the decisions? (H hai who is all this?) Sehwag added.
What does LSG need to fix to save pride?
With their playoff chances hanging by a thread, LSG must now focus on damage control and restoring some pride. A key step would be to stabilize the batting order, particularly by assigning Pant a stable number four role to anchor the batting, rather than constantly switching positions.
Regaining home advantage at the Ekana Stadium is equally important. Instead of thinking too much about pitch conditions, team management should rely on their own resources, especially spin attacks that can thrive on natural support surfaces.
Additionally, introducing a consistent power play attacker could ease the pressure on Pooran and allow him to play a natural attacking game in the later stages of the innings.
