Is Rishabh Pant alone to blame for LSG’s downfall? ‘Too many minds’ remark hints at larger malaise

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 is past the halfway stage, and it is tough to argue against the fact that the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have been one of the worst sides this season. They are at the bottom of the points table with just two wins in eight matches. They have lost five straight games, including last week's Super Over defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).

Captain Rishabh Pant has worn a worried look throughout this year. His calls as a captain are being heavily criticised and his batting returns, too, are inviting criticism.

Nicholas Pooran looks like he cannot hold a cricket bat. The previously successful opening pair of Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram is also struggling, and the domestic names have failed to be consistent. Pant himself seems to have forgotten how to play T20 cricket

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Amid the downfall, the LSG captain raised a highly critical point after the defeat to KKR. "Too many minds don't make it easy," Pant said, hinting towards the presence of too many opinions in the dressing room.

LSG's big backroom staff

LSG had an underwhelming season in 2025. So, they went after some big names in the auction. However, more than the squad itself, what seemed to have been further boosted was the coaching staff.

IPL-winning head coach Tom Moody was brought in as Director of Cricket, while former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson was signed as the strategic advisor.

While on paper these additions strengthened the support staff, a crowded backroom also adds to the confusion. With Justin Langer as the head coach and two more successful big names joining him, things can get a bit tricky. Add to that the presence of a highly passionate owner in Sanjiv Goenka, and opinions could quickly pile up.

As the popular adage goes: Too many cooks spoil the broth. This seems to be happening with the Lucknow side.

LSG's tactical blunders

This lack of clarity is showing in the tactical calls that the franchise is making. Pant started the tournament as an opener and got run out. In the very next match, he was batting at No 3. The opening combination has been tinkered with consistently, and the spinners, too, have been rotated repeatedly throughout the season.

When table-toppers Punjab Kings smashed the LSG bowlers for 255, Pant and Co bizarrely chose Ayush Badoni to open the innings. With regular openers Marsh and Markram having the ability to provide quickfire starts, the decision to send Badoni did not make much cricketing sense.

Pant said it was a pre-decided move, but the experiment lasted just one more game before the team once again moved back to Marsh and Markram at the top.

Lucknow Super Giants' Nicholas Pooran is foxed by a slower delivery from Delhi Capitals pacer Lungi Ngidi during their IPL 2026 match in Lucknow. AP

In the same match against the Kings, LSG used Markram with the ball ahead of specialist bowlers for match-up purposes, and the part-timer was plundered for 32 runs in the over, which changed the game.

Another odd decision was to send an absolutely out-of-form Pooran in the Super Over against KKR’s Sunil Narine. While other LSG batters too were struggling for form, if there was one name who was in the worst touch of them all, it was Pooran.

The call, as expected, backfired and LSG lost the Super Over.

All this definitely shows that the thinking in the leadership group is muddled and that the presence of too many towering figures in the dressing room could be a contributing factor. Pant’s poor form and his inability to trust his gut calls could also be one of the reasons behind too many opinions being heard.

Too many cooks are spoiling the broth in LSG and the management really needs to define the decision makers if they have to turn things around not just in this season but going ahead as well.