Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have a win and a defeat after playing two matches. Some things have worked in their favour, some haven’t. But fortunately for them, so far, the former outnumber the latter.
Take Shardul Thakur, for instance. He had no business being the mainsail for the team after being drafted in as a replacement player following Mohsin Khan’s ACL tear. Yet here he is, leading the wicket-taker charts for LSG, against all the expectations. It’s these surprising little instances that show how LSG is balancing perfectly between luck and tactics.
But if things that were not supposed to work for them are contrarily doing so, does that mean the reverse could happen with things that should be working in their favor? Does it also mean their home game against Punjab Kings will not be as easy a lift as it may sound?
Punjab Kings have only managed to beat them once, home or away. But in all fairness, those results had asterisks next to them. And although PBKS have played only one game in the tournament so far, the vibes surrounding them herald a change for the better.
It would be wise for LSG to discard what they think they know about Punjab Kings as well as themselves. It’s a new season, with plenty happening for the first time. And if they desire consistency in the results, amidst all the changes, a blank slate is all they should bring along to Ekana Stadium on Tuesday.
Team Overview:
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG):
Thakur said that the IPL needs more bowling-friendly pitches. Amidst the tacit waiting for the league’s first 300-run total, this does seem like one way to draw attention, though the IPL hardly suffers from a lack of it. However, LSG can take comfort in knowing that they are well-balanced, regardless of whether the pitch favors batters or bowlers.
In batting, the presence of Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh provides them with an enviable sense of security. Anticlimactically, that’s about all they have in their batting lineup, or at least, the pair is the only ones who have shouldered the scoring burden so far. It remains to be seen whether the lack of contributions from the rest of the batting order will cost them in future games before the others step up and start chipping in as well.
On the bowling front, LSG initially faced criticism for fielding an all-Indian attack, but they have silenced the critics. That they restricted SRH, who had scored 286 runs in their last game at the same venue, to under 200 is quite telling about their bowling strength.
Punjab Kings:
Priyansh Arya repaid the faith of the franchise and coaching staff in the opening game, playing the kind of innings LSG has long been missing. But nothing topped Shreyas Iyer’s knock for his new franchise. He fell just three runs short of a century, and that best defines the quality of his innings. His insistence on getting more runs for his side than going for completing his century proved how his priorities as a captain are correctly sorted.
PBKS’s head coach, James Hopes, was torn between opting for a drier ball to assist his spinners or a wet, saliva-tampered ball to aid his pacers. Ekana Stadium’s spin-friendly surface might make that decision easier. This could also prompt PBKS to bring in another spinner to complement Yuzvendra Chahal.
Head-to-Head Record:
PBKS and LSG have faced off just four times, with PBKS managing only one win while LSG claimed victory in the other three.
Weather and Pitch Report:
Ekana Stadium is one of the more bowling-friendly venues in the IPL. The pitch selected for this game is reportedly a red-soil track with a generous covering of grass, which will provide significant assistance to the spinners.
Where to Watch:
India: Star Sports Network, JioHotstar
UK: Sky Sports, SkyGo
USA: Willow TV
Australia: Kayo TV, FoxTel Go
Bangladesh: T Sports, Toffee app
New Zealand: Sky Sports NZ
Afghanistan: ATN
South Africa: SuperSport
Sri Lanka: Dialog
MENA: Cricbuzz
