Lucknow Super Giants slumped to their fourth consecutive loss of the season, going down by 40 runs to Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday. The defeat also extended their struggles at home, marking a seventh successive loss at their own venue.
In a campaign where high scores have been the norm, Rajasthan Royals successfully defended a total of 159 — the lowest defended score in the IPL this season so far.
Batting Collapse Seals LSG’s Fate
Lucknow’s chase unravelled almost immediately, with their star-studded batting unit collapsing under pressure. Ayush Badoni, Rishabh Pant and Aiden Markram were all dismissed without scoring, leaving the side with no momentum in the chase.
Langer on Adapting to Conditions
Speaking after the match, head coach Justin Langer acknowledged that his side has struggled to adjust to the conditions at their home ground. Rather than pointing to external factors, he placed the responsibility on the batting unit.
“The pitch here is very different from most in India,” Langer explained. “It’s a brilliant cricket pitch. You see pace and bounce… and we just haven’t quite adjusted to it. We’ve been out to the short ball a number of times… I’d say we’re not adjusting.”
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He went on to draw a comparison with Australian conditions, highlighting the nature of the surface.
“We see a lot of wickets in India where the ball doesn’t bounce very high. This is like playing at the WACA. There’s real pace and bounce… and we just haven’t been able to adapt to it at this stage.”
Confusion Over Batting Form
While expressing satisfaction with the bowling effort, Langer admitted surprise at the batting unit’s inability to deliver.
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“Our batting’s just not quite clicking,” Langer lamented. “And who would have thought at the start of the season… that with the calibre of players we’ve got, it wouldn’t click? We could never have read that. So we’re working hard on it.”
Early Wickets Prove Costly
Reflecting on the poor start to the chase, Langer pointed to the early loss of wickets as a decisive factor.
“You lose wickets—everyone knows if you lose wickets in the powerplay, you’re always chasing your tail. Tonight we were chasing our tail. It’s really frustrating. It’s frustrating for our fans, it’s frustrating for everyone in the camp.”
Backing Pant Despite Struggles
When questioned about Rishabh Pant’s recent form, Langer offered his support, emphasizing the player’s natural approach.
“He wants to play with freedom… he’s very instinctive. He’s probably feeling the pinch as much as everyone,” Langer stated. “He’ll be as frustrated as anyone that it didn’t come off today.”
Confidence the Key Moving Forward
Despite the run of poor results, Langer insisted that the squad has enough depth and quality, stressing that rebuilding confidence is the priority.
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“We’ve got too many options. That’s the thing,” he asserted. “Sometimes though, when confidence isn’t going your way… the only way you can regain it is by playing good cricket. So we’ve got to work hard to get that back.”
