Leg and Off: Are LSG overdependent on Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh in the batting department?

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) have had a confusing start to the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). They have looked threatening at times, but at the same time capable of meek surrender. Combating a crisis in their bowling unit to mar the start of their campaign, the franchise is heavily reliant on their batters to see them through.

They have been successful at times in that regard, whether it be posting 209 against DC or chasing down 192 in just 16.1 overs against SRH.

But, on both occasions, they needed Marsh and Pooran to be at their absolute best. During their recent loss to PBKS at home, Marsh was dismissed for a duck while Pooran was dismissed during a crucial juncture in the innings. They failed to recover from that and fell well short of a par score.

On that note, let us take a look at whether LSG's apparent overdependency on Marsh and Pooran is a problem in dire need of a solution or just an illusion of sorts.

#1 Numbers certainly suggest a massive overdependency

Although a sample size of three matches is quite insignificant, the sheer disparity in the numbers of Marsh and Pooran compared to others makes it hard to ignore. Simply put, LSG have scored 573 runs in three matches, which is more than decent. But, of that, the pair of Marsh and Pooran are responsible for 313, just more than half of the entire tally.

Furthermore, both Pooran and Marsh are among the top five run scorers in IPL 2025 already. No other franchise has two members in the top-five list in the early stages of the tournament.

They have had to pick up the slack from the rest of the batting unit. Aiden Markram and Ayush Badoni have been good in flashes, but far from threatening, Rishabh Pant and David Miller have had forgettable starts to their stints with LSG. The second best thing in LSG's batting unit is arguably Abdul Samad's finishing ability, but it will be in vain unless the middle order wakes up.

LSG need their middle order to fire, especially to compensate for their inexperienced and out-of-form bowling unit. Unless the batting unit puts its best foot forward together, the bowlers have no chance, which has been the trend for LSG in the campaign so far.

LSG, in all of their matches, have had decent or sublime foundation through either Marsh or Pooran, or in some cases both. But they have not been able to capitalise it enough for the bowlers to be without pressure. They fell short of a good score against both DC and PBKS due to the middle-order's failure, and unsurprisingly, the bowlers could not defend it.

#2 LSG need to balance out the load on either side of Marsh-Pooran in the batting order

Given how the majority of LSG's current combination are struggling with form, and the massive imbalance between batting and bowling, they really need a few tweaks that could unburden the load on Marsh and Pooran in extension. Not much can be done in the bowling department due to the injury crisis. Even playing Shamar Joseph is not an option because LSG lacks quality Indian batters on the bench.

The only possible solution LSG can at least try, given their initial combination has not worked out, is to swap Rishabh Pant and Aiden Markram's positions in the batting order. It gives them a left-right combination, and Pant gets a new lease of life, which he so desperately needs.

The LSG skipper looks absolutely low on confidence, and the fact that he almost has to start against spin makes it even worse. A love to the top, facing the pacers with the field inside the circle could be the way to go for LSG. Markram, on the other hand, is familiar with the No.4 spot and can provide a little bit of stability amid all of the firepower around him. Plus, he is a decent player of spin as well.

The best way for LSG to be not entirely dependent on Marsh and Pooran is if Markram and Pant can chip in.

#3 Marsh and Pooran get to bat when circumstances are near-optimal

It is not something entirely out of the ordinary for the top-order batters to be among the runs compared to the rest. The fact that there are too many batters out of form makes LSG's case stick out like a sore thumb.

Pooran and Marsh have scored the most runs because, obviously, they are in sublime touch, but also the fact that they have the best possible situation to be among the runs. Batting in the powerplay, with the field up against a new ball that has shown sporadic signs of movement, has allowed the pair to make the most.

It becomes difficult for the batters that follow the same tempo right away, especially when they are not in as good a form as Marsh and Pooran at the moment. So naturally, there is a stark disparity in the numbers. Even the in-form pair has struggled to take their innings deep, and the lack of a set batter at one end has cost LSG multiple times this season already.

#4 Once the rest of LSG's batting-heavy lineup get some momentum, the overdependency will subside

LSG do have the tools to succeed as a batting side, especially because they have shown some promising flashes. When on song, their batting unit can post mammoth scores and hunt down any target. The early stages have already shown that they have far better chasing than setting a total, given that batting is their outright strength.

Marsh and Pooran have had to compensate for the lack of form and runs by their fellow batters, which has been reflected through an over-reliance of sorts. It is a matter of one good performance, because the potential is there on paper. Once Marsh's opening partner, whoever LSG proceed with, can support him, and the middle order batters come into play while batting around Pooran, LSG have the potential to set it up for their finishers.

If LSG can employ this template this consistently, they can score the extra runs to negate their crippled bowling attack or the dew factor while batting first. As far as chasing is concerned, they have shown what they are capable of during the win over SRH.