struggle of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) In Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 Former Indian cricketer has sharply criticized Virender Sehwag Openly questioning the team’s strategic approach. As LSG continues to slide down the points table, Sehwag did not hold back and highlighted what he believes are glaring lapses in decision making 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 at the bottom of the standings with just two wins from eight matches. What started as a promising campaign soon turned into chaos, largely due to the dramatic failure of their batting unit. The most worrying thing is that there has been a decline in nicholas puran. Known for his explosive hitting, Pooran’s strike rate has dropped from around 200 last season to a worrying 81.19 this year. His inability to accelerate has had a deep impact on the middle order.
captain Rishabh PantEven those who were signed for a record ₹27 crore have struggled to perform consistently. Their lack of form has exposed the weakness of the batting lineup, leading to repeated collapses where top-order batsmen have fallen to the minimum score.
The instability has not ended here. Constant reshuffling of the starting combination and absence of a key all-rounder. Wanindu Hasaranga The team balance has further deteriorated due to NOC issues. With a poor net run rate of -1.106 and several defeats at their home ground, Ekana Stadium, LSG’s playoff hopes are all but over.
Virender Sehwag explains the factors behind LSG’s struggles
Amidst this fallout, Sehwag has strongly criticized the think tank, which includes big names like Kane Williamson, Justin LangerAnd tom moody. Sehwag expressed disappointment over the team’s decision to chase the target again and again despite continuous failures. He pointed out that LSG’s inability to bat under pressure is obvious, yet the team chooses to chase after winning the toss.
“Lucknow Super Giants once again failed to chase the target 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. What is their brain not running? (Do they not use their brains?) Are they not able to see how their team is performing? The team is not able to bat, and yet they are winning the toss and defeating the opposition. Are invited to bat.” Sehwag told Cricbuzz.
According to Sehwag, this rigid approach shows a lack of adaptability. He argued that even a modest score of 140–150 could create scoreboard pressure on the opponents, especially on slow surfaces. Instead, LSG’s insistence on chasing has repeatedly backfired, exposing their weak batting depth. His comments also indicated confusion within the leadership group, raising questions about who is actually making the key strategic calls. For a team full of experienced cricket minds, the lack of clarity in decision making has been surprising and costly.
“If they had won the toss and decided to bat first, even if they had scored 140 to 150, the pressure would have been on KKR. I can’t understand it. You are not able to chase, but you are adamant on chasing the target. Where is this sense? Who is taking the decisions? (How much sense is this? Who is taking all these calls?)” Added Sehwag.
What should LSG fix to save glory?
With their playoff chances in jeopardy, LSG must now focus on damage control and restoring some glory. An important step will be to stabilize the batting order, especially giving Pant a fixed role at number four to carry the innings rather than constantly shuffling positions.
It is equally important to recreate their home dominance at the Ikana Stadium. Rather than thinking too much about pitch conditions, the team management needs to rely on its resources, especially its spin attack, which can naturally thrive on supportive surfaces.
Additionally, offering a consistent powerplay attack could ease the pressure on Pooran, allowing him to play his natural attacking game in the latter stages of the innings.