IPL 2023: LSG's home form on the sluggish Lucknow pitch is a worry

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered their third successive home defeat in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 on Monday but that fact was overshadowed by Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir’s on-field spat.

IPL 2023: Full coverage | Points table | Schedule | Results | Orange Cap | Purple Cap​

Kohli and Gambhir were involved in a heated exchange after Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) defeated LSG by 18 runs at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium and it overshadowed Lucknow’s poor home record.

KL Rahul-led side has suffered five defeats in nine games so far and three of them have come at home in five matches. LSG have won two away matches and lost two on the road. While a 50% win percentage away from home is a comfortable stat. A 60% loss percentage record at home is worrying.

Kohli after ugly exchange with Gambhir: ‘If you can give it, you gotta take it’

One of the major reasons for LSG’s home defeats have been the sluggish track at the Ekana Cricket Stadium.

The highest score in these three defeats have been 161/8 which Punjab Kings (PBKS) made in their two-wicket win. In that game, LSG made 159/8 batting first.

Gujarat Titans made 135/6 in the next game at Lucknow and LSG were restricted to 128/7 in a seven-run defeat.

Against RCB, LSG were bowled out for 108 chasing a target of 128.

IPL: Haunted by Rahul’s injury, LSG lose the plot against RCB

It’s difficult to believe that LSG are the same side that whacked 257/5 at the Mohali Stadium on Friday. The first time a team crossed 250 this season and also the second time in the history of IPL.

Lucknow’s sluggish track that has LSG batters in a spin has been a problem in international cricket as well.

Not just the IPL, Lucknow has been a repeat offender with such poor pitches the entire cricket season. And it will get to host a lot of World Cup games as well