Lucknow: Rishabh Pant is experiencing an atypical season. Although he celebrated India's triumph in the Champions Trophy, he did not contribute on the field, and his performance in the IPL has started quietly.

In his recent matches, Pant was dismissed for a duck against the Delhi Capitals, the team he departed from to lead the Lucknow Super Giants after being the highest purchase in the player auction. He scored 15 runs in a victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad and only two runs in the defeat against Punjab Kings on Tuesday.

Following the loss to PBKS, Pant admitted that the strategy to leverage home advantage had failed. He stated, “The plan was to create a slower wicket. We believed it was a home game, and it would slow down a bit. However, I think the slower deliveries, when bowled into the wicket, were still sticking, but we did not perform well that day. We need to learn from this and move on. It was our first home game, and we are still evaluating the conditions,” he remarked during the post-match presentation.

PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer chose to bowl first, and Pant's dismissal, caught at short fine leg, compounded LSG's batting difficulties, resulting in an eight-wicket defeat that left the team feeling frustrated.

Team mentor Zaheer Khan, however, attributed the setback to the curator, suggesting that it seemed as though the pitch had been prepared by the opposing team's curator.

“It was quite disappointing for me as we had no home advantage here, despite it being our home game. In the IPL, teams typically seek to gain some home advantage. From that perspective, it appears the curator did not consider it a home game. It almost seemed like it was PBKS’ curator at work here,” Zaheer commented with a smile.

In a noteworthy decision, LSG opted to train on a black soil pitch during their pre-match session on Monday evening. This choice allowed PBKS to prepare on the red soil wicket that was ultimately used for the match. Capitalizing on their familiarity with the conditions, PBKS successfully chased down a target of 172 runs in just 16.2 overs, aided by their bowlers who had left key LSG batsmen in difficulty on the uneven surface.

As LSG prepares to face the five-time champions, Mumbai Indians, on the same pitch this Friday, they find themselves under pressure to improve their performance.

Zaheer expressed the team's commitment to addressing the pitch situation, stating, "This is a new environment for me and for everyone involved, but I hope this will be the first and last time we encounter such issues. We have disappointed the Lucknow fans who came with high hopes for our first home game."

He acknowledged the loss, emphasizing the need for the team to make a significant impact during their home matches. "We remain confident, with six more games ahead of us. The team has demonstrated the right attitude and mindset throughout the season, despite the limited cricket played so far. Expect innovation, creative strategies, determination, and a strong desire to succeed, which encapsulates our team spirit."

Zaheer also called for increased support for the home team, noting, "We have taken the pitch conditions into account as advised by the curator, and we will continue to follow their guidance. We are not using this as an excuse. Last season showed that batters can face challenges here as well."

He added, "These factors are part of cricket. However, the home team must receive support. Everyone should recognize that this is our home team playing in Lucknow, and we must consider how we can assist them in securing victories. Every contribution matters, and we will find a way to win matches regardless." 

The struggles were not limited to batting; LSG's bowling attack also faced difficulties, with Shardul Thakur (0/39 in 3 overs), Avesh Khan (0/30 in 3 overs), and Ravi B...

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