New Delhi, April 2 – Former Indian cricketer Abhinav Mukund has expressed serious concerns about the lack of identity and balance within the Lucknow Super Giants following their match against Delhi Capitals, offering a sharp critique of the team's composition and approach.
Sameer Rizvi's unbeaten 70 and the 119-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs helped Delhi Capitals (DC) kick off their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 campaign with a convincing six-wicket victory over the hosts, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), at the Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
However, Mukund admitted to uncertainty regarding LSG's direction. "I'm very unsure about LSG. They are a relatively young team in the IPL. Similarly, the Gujarat Titans are slowly establishing their identity. They may have lost their first game (in 2026), but you know what the Gujarat Titans will come up with on a particular day."
"They are overly reliant on their bowlers. They depend on the experience of their spinners. With Lucknow, you always feel that there is a lack of consistency within the team," he told ESPNCricinfo.
Mukund's comparison with the Gujarat Titans highlights what he believes are key differences: clarity of roles and a defined playing style. While Gujarat have built a reputation around a bowling-heavy strategy and dependable spin options, Lucknow, in his view, continues to search for consistency in their approach.
He further emphasized that LSG's reliance on individual brilliance rather than a cohesive system has been a recurring issue, saying, "You expect performances from the top, you expect a sudden burst of brilliance, like Mark Wood sometimes picking up five wickets. You want those individual brilliant performances to drive your team. This has always been the case for Lucknow."
Mukund also pointed to questionable team selection and balance in the game. "Even today, I felt that the team's balance was not ideal, with seven batsmen and four bowlers. And then you had to compromise on your promising young player from last season. I know he may not have had an excellent domestic season. He hasn't been taking many wickets."
"He hasn't had a great domestic season, but that doesn't mean – you've released Bishnoi, which means you've placed your faith in Digvesh Rathi and said 'okay, you are my number one spinner and you don't play him in the first match," he noted.
