LSG's batting inconsistencies and balance issues in IPL 2026

LSG have struggled with batting order balance and middle-order form, impacting their IPL 2026 campaign.

Pant's batting role and struggles LSG head coach Tom Moody explained that Rishabh Pant was given the chance to bat at number three this season, a position he expressed interest in. Earlier suggestions had indicated that Pant’s move up the order could benefit his performance, with field placements resembling Test cricket where boundary riders are limited in the powerplay. So far in 2026, Pant has batted at number three or higher in eight of his eleven innings, but his returns have been underwhelming—just 189 runs at a strike rate of 127. This performance comes after Nicholas Pooran, who preferred the third spot in 2025 and scored 524 runs at a strike rate of 196, was shifted down the order. Pooran has also struggled this season, managing only 184 runs at an average of 16.72 and a strike rate of 124.32. ## Pooran's early-season challenges Moody attributed Pooran’s slow start to a wrist injury that required careful management early in the tournament. "Nicky P came into the tournament with a sore wrist that needed some sort of management in the first week or two," he said. "Generally around the world in T20 cricket, Nicky P bats anywhere from [numbers] 3 to 5 and he's been effective in all those roles. So I think for him, his season started slowly [was] more to do with his preparation and also the fact that he had a bit of a wrist injury. So we've managed that, he's fine now." ## Expert analysis on Pant's batting Ambati Rayudu, speaking on a show, highlighted concerns about Pant’s ability to find boundaries consistently. "Pant's four-hitting has been quite questionable. He is not clear as to where he can get a boundary off, which gap, which area. As a middle-order batter, you should have at least four areas that you know you can score boundaries easily. Other than that, only if you have one area or two areas, you're always waiting for that ball. When you don't get it, you don't have many options other than clear the field. And you don't want to clear the field and get out at that point in time. And that is where I feel he is getting stuck. He needs to really work on [the four-hitting] side of his T20 game." ## Pressure on Pant and team expectations When questioned about whether the pressure of captaincy or being the marquee Indian player was affecting Pant, Moody refrained from speculating on his personal feelings. He acknowledged that high-profile players always face intense pressure in the IPL, calling it "the beauty of the IPL" and whether they can rise to the occasion. "I can't speak for him about how he's feeling about the expectation. I think every player, particularly [high] profile player, has pressure coming into the IPL. It is the biggest tournament in the world so whether it's Rishabh Pant or anyone that's either captain or a senior player in the side that has got decorated careers at that point, they're under pressure and that's the beauty of the IPL. It's whether you can embrace that pressure and rise or you find it difficult to get traction." ## LSG's middle-order woes and team balance LSG have managed only three wins in eleven matches this season, with their batting performances falling short. Moody pointed out that the middle order, in particular, has failed to deliver the required consistency. "Particularly our middle order hasn't fired," he stated. "[They haven't shown] the consistency that's required to have that success on a consistent basis." LSG’s batting numbers from positions four to eight are the worst among all teams this season, with the lowest average (20.66) and the lowest strike rate (128.13). Moody also emphasized the significant impact of Wanindu Hasaranga’s absence for the entire season on their team balance. ## Inglis's selection and Hasaranga's absence Moody explained the reasoning behind signing Josh Inglis despite knowing he would miss half of IPL 2026 due to personal commitments. "Well, Josh Inglis we knew was going to be missing, but we felt, and we saw it tonight, that he was too important a player not to pick up at the auction regardless of his availability this year from a long-term point of view," he said. Hasaranga’s absence, however, was described as a far greater loss, as he played a crucial role as a mystery spinner with an impressive international record. "Hasaranga is more of a significant miss for us because he was a really important key to the puzzle of how we were trying to stack up as a side, having that point of difference with a mystery-type spinner that's got a great international record." ## Team performance and future outlook Moody admitted that the team has been struggling to find the right balance since Hasaranga’s injury, and top-order failures have only worsened the situation. "So he was probably a bigger miss for the balance of the side. We've been battling with that balance ever since, and what hasn't helped is obviously our top order and our batting hasn't fired, so we're exposed down the back end of the innings."