Once regarded as one of the most dangerous hitters in T20 cricket, Nicholas Pooran’s momentum has visibly shifted since his explosive 2024 and the strong carry-over that followed. After a standout run that included heavy scoring and an eye-catching number of sixes, his output has tapered sharply in subsequent seasons—so much so that, when results up to the 2026 phase are considered, the story reads like a familiar swing from feast to famine. While the wider picture includes changes across the league and matchups, the numbers also point to a clearer decline in some of the areas where Pooran previously caused the most damage.
Key takeaways
- Pooran’s 2024 calendar-year tally of 2,331 runs and 170 sixes stands as a record for men’s T20 in a single year.
- His 2025 season produced 2,036 runs and 135 maximums, ranking fifth in the year on both counts.
- In IPL 2025, Pooran managed 119 runs off short-pitched deliveries at a strike rate of 163.01, compared with only 10 off 17 balls in 2026 at that length.
- So far in IPL 2026, he has 42 runs from five innings with a strike rate of 76.36 and a dot-ball rate of 60% (33 dots in 55 balls).
- LSG are currently struggling as a batting side, sitting at 18.77 for average and 126.85 for strike rate, both well below the tournament marks of 28.43 and 155.41.
- LSG are weighing a promotion for Pooran to No. 3, especially with Rishabh Pant’s elbow injury raising uncertainty for their next match.
Pooran’s rise in 2024 and the peak-like 2025
Until just a few seasons ago, Nicholas Pooran was often viewed as a batter who could turn T20 games in a hurry. His breakout came in 2024, where he amassed runs and cleared the ropes regularly, not only in the IPL but across major T20 platforms around the world. That form continued for a substantial part of 2025 as well, before a noticeable downturn set in. The decline becomes even more pronounced when focusing on results that fall within the 2026 window, creating a stark contrast with the heights of his earlier output.
Looking specifically at the 2024 calendar-year numbers, Pooran’s 2,331 runs and 170 sixes were the best recorded for any player in men’s T20 across a single year. The next highest totals were 2,036 runs and 135 sixes respectively. In 2025, he again posted elite production, but at a lower scale: 1,918 runs and 121 sixes. Those figures still placed him fifth on both lists for that calendar year, reinforcing that 2025 was a peak of sorts, though not at the same staggering level as 2024.
A large portion of Pooran’s success in 2025 was driven by performances in ILT20 and the IPL, the two competitions in which he featured. After the IPL 2025 concluded, he took a surprising retirement decision within a week. His last T20 international appearance had come earlier, in December 2024.
What the dip suggests: strike-rate shrinkage, spin struggles, and fewer boundary threats
After the retirement call, Pooran’s returns in T20 cricket fell off, and the drop shows up clearly in the type of impact he was previously making. One of the key signals is a sharper decline in two major areas that had been central to his effectiveness earlier in his career. The first is a marked reduction in strike rate against spin—down by 25% compared to the earlier period.
Against pace, the pattern also turns unfavourable. In IPL 2025, Pooran scored 119 runs off short-pitched deliveries at a strike rate of 163.01, with three dismissals. In IPL 2026, that same length has produced a far smaller return: just 10 runs from 17 balls while ending up three times back in the pavilion. The last three innings in 2026 have followed a similar theme, with batters being beaten by the bounce, or by insufficient bounce, and also by the angle created from over the wicket by tall right-arm fast bowlers—Cameron Green, Prasidh Krishna, and Josh Hazlewood.
Those matchup trends are also reflected in his overall IPL 2026 numbers. Across five innings, Pooran has generated 42 runs at a strike rate of 76.36, with a dot-ball percentage of 60%. In practical terms, that means 33 dot balls have come from 55 deliveries faced so far. The lack of meaningful support around him—unlike what LSG had enjoyed in 2025—has only intensified the pressure on the franchise’s batting unit.
LSG, after all, had performed strongly in 2025 relative to their peers in certain departments. They finished as the top side in terms of contribution from overseas batters in that season, and they were also the best overall unit against spin across the league when considering average and strike rate. In 2026, however, the decline appears to have spread beyond Pooran to multiple top-order threats.
Alongside Pooran’s struggles, Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh have also experienced sharp drops in returns during the current campaign. Rishabh Pant’s issues against spin have been especially noticeable too, with his strike rate sitting at 111.95 across IPL 2025 and IPL 2026 combined.
LSG’s broader batting crisis and the case for Pooran at No. 3
With 23 matches played in the competition, Lucknow Super Giants have been the least consistent batting unit among the 10 teams. Their numbers reflect that reality: an average of 18.77 and a strike rate of 126.85, both significantly below the tournament totals of 28.43 and 155.41. In that context, moving Pooran higher in the order starts to look like a logical attempt to regain momentum and maximize the overs he faces.
It may not be a bad plan for LSG to promote Pooran to No. 3. The timing of such a move becomes even more relevant if Rishabh Pant does not feature in their next outing due to an elbow injury. Last season, Pooran had aggregated 466 runs while striking at 201.73 from the position of one drop, finishing with a top-order profile that looked particularly menacing for opponents.
One of LSG’s two wins this season was driven by standout contributions from their uncapped batters—Ayush Badoni and Mukul Choudhary. Without those efforts, they could have ended up two places lower in the points table. Even with those lower-order supports still capable of resistance, LSG appear to have an opening to strengthen their structure by reuniting their three most destructive batters at the top of the innings.
With Ayush Badoni and Mukul Choudhary again expected to offer some resistance in their match on Wednesday, LSG will be looking for the same kind of top-order electricity that helped them earlier—while also taking steps to stabilize the innings if Pant’s injury keeps him out and Pooran’s role needs to change.
