Data Shorts: Recurring fast-bowling struggles stall LSG

Lucknow Super Giants' success in their first two seasons of participation was brought about by impressive bowling numbers, as was the case with fellow new franchise Gujarat Titans, who fared even better. Both teams made the playoffs in 2022 and 2023, and while GT led the bowling averages (25.51) and economy rates (8.31) across the two editions, LSG stood second at 26.48 and 8.31 respectively. LSG fared even better on the fast-bowling front, leading on average (25.41) and strike-rate (17.3).

As the IPL progressively became batting friendly and opting to chase became a trend, LSG enjoyed a whopping 85.7% win-loss record while defending totals (12 wins and two defeats) across 2022 and 2023, comfortably the highest among all teams. Avesh Khan and Mohsin Khan were their standout quicks in 2022, and as the former was traded to the Rajasthan Royals in 2024, they unearthed Mayank Yadav, who bagged seven wickets in four games at a sub-7 economy in the most bat-dominated edition ever.

Post the mega-auctions however, they had a completely different look to their side, loaded with even more power-hitters but thin on bowling. Add to that the injury woes; Mohsin Khan and Mayank Yadav - their two fast-bowling retentions - were both unavailable at the start of the competition, the latter's first introduction this year coming well into the second half.

At the start of IPL 2025, LSG's seam attack had the least experience and T20 wickets among the 10 squads. Their first starting XI suggested that their best chance was to bat their opponents out of the game, as SRH did in their run to the final last year. It worked at the start with four wins from the first six games, thanks to Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh. However, both have had a dip in form since, and the bowling shortcomings have been further exposed.

Combined T20 stats for seam attacks pre IPL 2025 (by squads)

Shardul Thakur was only officially announced as a replacement for Mohsin Khan after the competition started, while Mitchell Marsh hasn't been cleared to bowl. Removing their respective T20 wickets tally from before the competition further shrinks that wickets column to less than half - 295 - which is roughly one-fifth of what MI had (1402). Before the start of the ongoing edition, MI and SRH seam attacks had a combined IPL wickets tally of 436 each, while LSG (excluding Shardul, Marsh and Mohsin's numbers), had just 96.

Rishabh Pant's lack of trust in quicks showed in the side's season opener in Visakhapatnam. While Delhi Capitals had three frontline seam bowlers, LSG had Shardul and an uncapped Prince Yadav. As DC recovered brilliantly from 65/5 in a 210 run-chase, Pant opted for Shahbaz Ahmed in the 20th over ahead of Shardul, and it nearly fetched them two points if not for a missed stumping. They had a