At the running festival at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur on April 19, Punjab Kings (PBKS) won a 54-round victory over Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) In the 29th match Indian Premier League 2026. However, off the scoreboard, it was LSG’s tactical decisions, particularly their batting order, that drew the biggest talking point from the former South Africa captain. Faf du Plessis.
PBKS posted an impressive 254/7 after being put into bat, leaving LSG with a steep chase. Despite a decent start and contributions from the key batsmen, LSG could only manage 200/5, falling well short of the target.
Faf du Plessis criticizes Aiden Markram’s move down the batting order
Speaking during a discussion on ESPNcricinfo, Du Plessis expressed his strong disapproval of LSG’s decision to move. Aiden Markram up to 5th place when promoting Ayush Badoni to open the innings.
Du Plessis highlighted that Markram has consistently proven his worth, especially in the opening role. He noted that removing the player from his most effective position can disturb the balance of the team.
He said Markram’s success in recent seasons, particularly alongside Mitchell Marsh, had made him an important presence at the top. By eliminating him, LSG weakened one of its strongest areas. He further emphasized that teams struggling for consistency should rely more on their proven strengths rather than experiment with key roles.
“You take Aiden Markram out of position at five. He’s shown over the last year and a half what a good player he is. Even last year he and (Mitchell) Marsh worked for them. You take one of your strengths and move it to a weaker area. When you’re not playing your best cricket, you look at what your strengths are and really focus on that.” Du Plessis said.
LSG turns strength into weakness: Du Plessis
Du Plessis didn’t mince words when analyzing the decision. He stated that Markram is not ideal for the No. 5 or No. 6 positions in T20 cricket, especially in a competitive tournament like the IPL. Instead, he included the South African among the top three players in the format.
The former Proteas captain explained that when a team is not playing its best cricket, clarity in roles becomes even more important. According to him, LSG’s replacement only added pressure and uncertainty, which ultimately affected their performance in the crucial match.
“Aiden Markram is a good player but he is not a good No. 5 or No. 6 in the IPL. He is up there for the top three batsmen” Du Plessis added.
PBKS dominate with the bat to seal an emphatic victory
Badoni, the opener of the innings, gave some promise by adding 35 off 21 balls and Marsh adding 40 off 28 deliveries. captain Rishabh pants The No. 3 contributed 43 from 29 balls, trying to strengthen the chase. Markram kept LSG in contention in the short term with an aggressive knock of 42 off 22 balls, despite batting lower than usual. However, the middle order failed to develop that pace.
The main concern for LSG was the continued decline in form Nicholas Pooranonly nine management runs off nine deliveries. His inability to gain speed in the middle passes further reduced the team’s chances.
At the start of the match, PBKS batsmen were clinical, scoring 254 runs and putting a lot of pressure on the opposition. Their aggressive approach ensured that LSG were always behind the required pace during the chase. In the end, though LSG showed flashes of resistance, the gap became too big to bridge. The defeat not only affected their position in the standings, but also sparked debate over team strategy, particularly the use of key players like Markram.
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