Former Indian bowler Lakshmipathy Balaji has expressed worries about Lucknow Super Giants heavily depending on their overseas batters in the top order for the upcoming IPL season. Balaji suggests that Indian talents like Ayush Badoni, Abdul Samad, and skipper Rishabh Pant should take on more responsibility to lead the team to success. Lucknow Super Giants, led by Pant, aim to bounce back from their disappointing seventh-place finish in the previous season and clinch their first IPL title.
Balaji highlighted that Lucknow’s top order, featuring Marsh, Aiden Markram, and Pooran, has been strong, providing solid starts and outperforming opponents in the past. However, he pointed out concerns regarding the team’s bowling, captaincy, and overall tactical approach. The team heavily relies on their overseas trio of batters, which could pose challenges if not balanced with strong performances from the Indian players.
According to Balaji, players like Badoni, Abdul Samad, and Shahbaz Ahmed have the potential to contribute significantly to the team’s success. However, he emphasized that the burden of leading the batting lineup falls on the top order and Rishabh Pant. Balaji suggested a strategic approach to the overseas combination, recommending the inclusion of Marsh, Markram, and Pooran as the primary batters.
Balaji also discussed the team’s bowling strategy, mentioning that if Hasaranga is available, he would be the preferred overseas bowler. In case of Hasaranga’s unavailability, Balaji proposed Anrich Nortje as a suitable replacement. He stressed the importance of strengthening the bowling attack with an overseas fast bowler to maintain a competitive edge in the tournament.
Lucknow Super Giants are set to kick off their IPL 2026 campaign against Delhi Capitals at Ekana Stadium on April 1, as per the schedule released by the BCCI.
