Langer defends decision to send Pooran despite Super Over failure

Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer defended the decision to send Nicholas Pooran in Sunday’s Super Over against Kolkata Knight Riders, despite the batter’s poor form, after the move backfired in their fifth straight defeat in Indian Premier League 2026.

Pooran was chosen to face Sunil Narine, but the gamble failed immediately as he was dismissed off the first ball, attempting an aggressive shot against a sharply turning delivery. His struggles in Super Overs are well documented, having scored just one run off nine balls in previous attempts.

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Explaining the call, Langer said the team relied on Pooran’s familiarity with Narine, built through years of playing together for the West Indies. “We knew Narine was bowling, and Nicky has faced him more than anyone in world cricket. We felt he was still our best option. You back your best players,” Langer said, admitting the decision did not pay off.

Earlier in the match, Pooran had also failed to make an impact, scoring 9 off 12 balls before falling to Varun Chakaravarthy. While his overall T20 record against Narine remains strong, his Super Over performances continue to be a concern.

Despite the dip in form, his strike rate dropping from 196.25 last season to 81.18 this year, Langer maintained that Pooran remains one of the most dangerous T20 batters. He acknowledged, however, that the player is currently low on confidence.

“He’s working very hard. It just shows he’s human. You can’t fake confidence, it comes from getting your processes right,” Langer said.

The former Aussie opener also pointed to the team’s inability to adapt to changing pitch conditions at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow. The surface shifted from a fast, bouncy red-soil track in the previous game to a slower black-soil wicket that offered more turn.

“We didn’t adapt well. It’s frustrating because for 18 overs we felt in control, but we let it slip,” he said.

Among the positives, Mohsin Khan impressed with figures of 5 for 23, providing early breakthroughs. Langer praised his work ethic and suggested he could soon be in contention for national selection. He also credited Mohammed Shami and Prince Yadav for their contributions with the ball.

However, LSG lost momentum in the final overs, conceding 43 runs in the last two overs on a difficult pitch, which proved costly. “They’ve got world-class spinners in Narine and Varun, so they always had a chance. We were ahead for most of the game but just fell behind at the end,” Langer admitted.

The defeat leaves Lucknow at the bottom of the points table, while eighth-ranked Kolkata registered only their second win of the season.