3 Changes Lucknow Super Giants should make to get back to winning ways

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) staged a comeback, after suffering their first defeat of the IPL 2024. They outplayed Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) by eight wickets in Kolkata on April 14, Sunday. With their fourth win of this season, KKR added two more points under their belt and currently holds the second position on the points table with eight points. Meanwhile, LSG's defeat marked their third in the ongoing tournament.

Phil Salt showcased his batting brilliance for Kolkata, finishing with an impressive score of 89 runs off 47 balls, including 14 boundaries and three sixes. His partnership of 120 runs with skipper Shreyas Iyer enabled KKR to chase down a target of 162 runs. In the first innings, Mitchell Starc was brilliant with the ball as he ended with figures of 3/28 in his quota of four overs to restrict LSG to a total of 161/7.

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Here are the three changes Lucknow Super Giants should make to get back to winning ways:

1. Promote in-form batter Nicholas Pooran up the order

Nicholas Pooran has been in excellent form, scoring 223 runs in six innings for Lucknow Super Giants. However, the team's strategy of relying on an experienced lower-order batter is not working in their favour. Pooran's ability to hit the ball all around the park and build long innings could be a game-changer for LSG if he is promoted up the order. This would give him more time to establish his innings and showcase his destructive potential. By utilising Pooran's skills more effectively, LSG can potentially improve their performance in the remainder of the tournament.

2. Bowling plans to be overlooked

LSG must revisit their bowling strategies for the remainder of the season. They should experiment with different bowling combinations to find the most effective approach. The absence of the in-form Mayank Yadav, who is recovering from an abdominal injury, has been a major setback. However, LSG has a talented pool of bowlers who can turn the tide in their favour on any given day. The team management needs to carefully analyze their bowling tactics to ensure better results in the upcoming matches.

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3. LSG should think carefully about their struggling middle-order

Devdutt Padikkal, a new addition to LSG this season, has been struggling with his form and was sidelined for the match against Kolkata Knight Riders. The introduction of Deepak Hooda also failed to change the team's fortunes, as he too underperformed. With Marcus Stoinis also lacking form, the KL Rahul-led side needs to closely examine the issues affecting their middle order and address them urgently. The tournament is at its midpoint, and teams are working to fine-tune their strategies for better results in the remaining matches.