Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head coach and former Australia legend Justin Langer has defended the team’s decision to send Nicholas Pooran to bat in the Super Over against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Sunday, April 26.
After the match ended in a thrilling tie, a Super Over was held to determine the winner of the match, as is the protocol for all IPL matches.
Nicholas Puran opened in the super over
LSG batted second in regular time and hence batted first in the Super Over. In the Super Over, teams are allowed only two wickets and three batsmen. LSG Sen Puran opens the Super Over with Aiden Markram.
For KKR, their true bowler Sunil Narine was selected to deliver the tie-breaker. Narine had bowled a maiden over to Pooran in the Super Over in the Caribbean Premier League match in 2014.
On Sunday, Pooran was bowled while trying to slash down the leg side to Narine on the first ball. Two balls later, Rovman Powell and Rinku Singh dismissed Aiden Markram with a brilliant relay catch. KKR’s target was reduced to just 2 runs in the Super Over.
After this, Rinku Singh hit a four over point off Prince Yadav’s ball on the very first ball of the Super Over, causing LSG to face its fifth consecutive defeat.
“If anyone can handle a Super Over, it’s Nicholas Pooran” – Langer
LSG head coach Justin Langer defended his team’s decision to send Nicholas Pooran in the Super Over in the post-match press conference.
“We knew Sunil Narine was a bowler and if you look at Nicky (Pooran’s) record, he has seen Narine more than anyone in world cricket,” Langer said. “So, we thought he was still the best, I know he hasn’t found his form yet, and Nicky would be the first, but we thought if anyone can handle a Super Over, it’s Nicky Puran. And you back your best players, right? That’s what you do”.
“So, he has struggled, but if you look at all the stats, no one can play world-class off-spinner Narine better than Nicky, but unfortunately that didn’t happen.”
Langer’s confidence in the southpaw was not without reason. Overall, in all T20s, Nicholas Pooran has scored 195 runs against Sunil Narine at an average of 48.75.
Also Read: “Accountability needs to be taken”: Rishabh Pant criticizes entire LSG team after Super Over defeat against KKR in IPL 2026
Langer admits that Puran lacks confidence
In 8 matches in IPL 2025, Nicholas Pooran has scored only 82 runs at a strike rate of 81.18.
Langer admitted that his confidence was a bit low and he is trying to overcome it.
“He’s been working on it, and it’s amazing that even a big player like him, probably no bigger T20 player in the world in the last few years, it just shows he’s human, and you can’t fake confidence,” Langer said.
“We all try, you can look like [you are] Confident, but confidence comes from getting your processes right, and we’re working with him every day, and he’s working very hard to get it back. Sometimes it’s a tough game of cricket, oh my God, it’s a tough game”.