Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) stand-in Captain Nicholas Pooran admitted that his side fell short with the bat after suffering a comprehensive five-wicket defeat against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in their IPL 2026 clash on Wednesday night. Pooran, who led the team in the absence of injured regular Skipper Rishabh Pant, said the batting unit failed to deliver a competitive performance at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. LSG were restricted to 146 runs, a total that proved insufficient against a strong RCB batting lineup. Pooran acknowledged that his team was outplayed in key moments of the match and could not build enough pressure on the opposition.

Reflecting on the performance, Pooran described LSG’s batting effort as “below-par” and admitted that the team needed to be more consistent across the innings. He said that on a surface like Bengaluru, a total in the range of 175 would have been competitive and given the bowlers a better chance to defend. However, LSG struggled to capitalise on their starts and failed to convert partnerships into a strong finish. Pooran emphasised that small lapses in judgement and execution cost them valuable runs in a match where margins mattered significantly.

Pooran also pointed out that the pitch was not overly difficult for batting and suggested that conditions were fair for both sides. He said LSG was unable to adjust quickly enough after getting a stable foundation in the early overs. The skipper credited RCB’s bowling attack for maintaining tight lines and not allowing any sustained partnerships to develop. He noted that the pressure created by RCB’s bowlers forced mistakes from the LSG batting order, which ultimately led to their collapse at crucial stages of the innings.

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He further admitted that inconsistency has been a recurring issue for LSG throughout the IPL 2026 season. Pooran said the team has repeatedly failed to convert promising starts into substantial totals, which has hurt their chances in multiple games. He stressed the need for better shot selection, improved communication between batters, and stronger decision-making under pressure situations. According to him, the team must take collective responsibility and ensure that such lapses are not repeated in upcoming matches if they want to stay competitive in the tournament.

RCB, in response, chased down the target comfortably with 29 balls remaining, showcasing complete control over the game. Virat Kohli led the chase with a composed 49-run knock, while Rajat Patidar and other batters provided solid support to finish the job efficiently. Pooran admitted that once RCB gained momentum in the chase, LSG were unable to pull things back into their favour. He concluded that the opposition outperformed them in all three departments and fully deserved the victory, leaving LSG with clear areas to improve going forward.

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