Lucknow Super Giants are feeling the pressure of a demanding IPL campaign, and the numbers have not been kind so far. After six matches, LSG have managed just two wins and sit only one place above the bottom team, Kolkata Knight Riders, on the points table. Yet despite the underwhelming start, Lucknow bowling coach Bharat Arun is approaching the situation with patience, insisting that the side has the quality to correct course and deliver better performances in the fixtures ahead.
Arun addressed the criticism that followed LSG conceding over 250 runs against Punjab Kings, saying he is not reading too much into a single outing. He pointed out that Lucknow’s bowlers have looked significantly better in earlier matches, and that on occasion a game can go away from a team due to fine margins—particularly decisions around ball selection at key moments. Still, the coach underlined that there is no sense of a deeper alarm, believing the current bowling group has the ability to bounce back strongly. In his view, sport inevitably includes setbacks, but what matters most is how a team responds and how it shows resilience after a poor result.
On whether the lack of early wickets forced too much strain on the middle overs, Arun said Lucknow did take an early breakthrough, but that Punjab’s batters then settled in and played with real intent. He singled out the Powerplay as an area where the ball choices were not ideal, adding that this is something the team can refine. Arun made a distinction between issues that stem from bowling execution versus those that relate to planning and selection, arguing that correcting the latter is entirely possible as the tournament progresses.
When asked about why LSG have not been able to convert home advantage into wins, the bowling coach rejected the idea that the playing conditions are to blame. He said the bowling performances at home have been “reasonably good,” suggesting that the bigger gap has been in batting—particularly the need for a match-changing innings. Arun said the team’s batting is close to clicking, and he cited the Punjab game as an example: even though LSG lost, their batters got close to the 200-run mark. For him, that showed encouraging signs and should have provided confidence to the batting group.
Arun also spoke about balancing overseas and Indian options in the bowling unit. He stated that Lucknow’s attack has been predominantly Indian, noting that apart from Anrich Nortje—who was injured and has since returned—there has not been a substantial overseas presence in the bowling group. Despite that, he described the current Indian bowling resources as highly exciting and emphasized that the team has strong belief in them.
Looking at the phases of the innings that concern him most—whether it is the Powerplay, the middle overs, or the death—Arun said he could not share the exact picture from the data at this stage. However, he confirmed the team is aware of the specific areas that need improvement. He added that Lucknow has already reshuffled certain bowling roles, and except for one match, the changes have worked well enough to keep the situation under control. As a result, he does not see it as a major concern right now.
Finally, Arun said that if the same Punjab Kings batting lineup faces Lucknow again, the plans would be different from ball one. He stressed that the side will work out adjustments ahead of the next encounter, implying that the lessons from the previous meeting will be applied immediately when they meet again.
