Manish Pandey has endured a tough IPL 2022 [P.C: IPLT20]
The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), one of two new entrants in IPL 2022, are looking like a solid team at the halfway mark of the competition.
Captained by flamboyant dasher KL Rahul, the squad has an assortment of various multi-faceted players along with different match-winners. With the likes of Rahul, Quinton de Knock, Krunal Pandya and Jason Holder in their ranks, LSG boasts some experienced players as well.
After a rather successful IPL 2022 mega auction, the franchise started their season on a subdued note. Their newly-formed counterpart Gujarat Titans (GT) beat them in their season opener by five wickets.
The KL Rahul-led side are currently sitting fifth in the points table after seeing a mixed bag of results. They have won four of their seven encounters so far and are in the race for playoff qualification.
LSG has some match-winners as well as flops
While KL Rahul (265 runs) and Quinton de Knock (215 runs) are spearheading the batting unit, Avesh Khan (11 wickets) and Jason Holder (8 wickets) are doing a fine job with the ball. However, amidst this, there have been a few LSG players who haven’t performed up to the desired levels.
In this article, we take a look at three of those players who have underperformed for the Super Giants and could be deemed flops this season.
#3. Evin Lewis
Perhaps the best player among the three listed, Evin Lewis has ensured a hot-and-cold season thus far. Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis joined the squad late on, hence Lucknow filled in Lewis at no.3 for the initial matches.
The Caribbean left-hander even played a match-winning innings in LSG’s second IPL game against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He clobbered an unbeaten 55* off 23 balls and aided his side in chasing down a total of 211. However, the West Indian had nothing to show on either side of that innings.
Lewis began the season by throwing his wicket away against GT for 10 runs. In his third game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, he was trapped in front by Washington Sundar and was dismissed for one run. The 30-year old once again struggled against spin versus the Mumbai Indians. He got out cheaply (five runs from 13 balls) while attempting to attack the off-spinner, Lalit Yadav.
LSG then dropped the former Mumbai Indians opener in the next game when Stoinis became available to play. Being the only designated overseas batter in the squad, with an average of 23 and just 71 runs in four outings, isn’t what LSG would’ve hoped from Lewis.
#2. Andrew Tye
Not part of the initial squad, Andrew Tye was signed by the Lucknow side as a replacement for injured England pacer Mark Wood. Tye, who has played for four different IPL teams before, was also a Purple Cap winner when he took 24 wickets in IPL 2018.
The Australian was expected to bring in his experience and solidity to Lucknow’s bowling line-up. However, in all the chances he has been given, the right-armer has not been up to the mark.
Dubbed a white-ball specialist, Tye has only picked up a couple of wickets in three games. What’s more, he has leaked runs at an alarming rate of 9.7 and has an average of 53.5 with the ball.
Following Tye’s two wicketless outings, he was dropped from the team. Dushmantha Chameera replaced him and has done wonderfully since.
#1. Manish Pandey
At No.1 is none other than Manish Pandey. In what looked like a tad expensive move, LSG splashed ₹4.60 crore to secure Pandey’s services at the mega auction.
A top-order batter with a plethora of IPL experience, Pandey was expected to glue the LSG’s batting order with resoluteness at number three. However, like his past seasons, the 32-year old has looked a shadow of himself in the marquee league.
He opened the season with just six runs to his name, before scoring just five and 11 in his next two outings. After getting dropped for a couple of games, Pandey returned to his preferred number three position against Mumbai Indians and scored a decent-looking 29-ball 38. However, the Indian international failed to build on his start and was bowled by Murugan Ashwin.
After seemingly getting his form back, Pandey recorded just six runs in the next game against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB).
In total, the Nainital-born has amassed just 66 runs in five games, averaging a mere 13.2 per game, that too, at a strike rate of under 114.
