Former Indian batsman Abhinav Mukund has questioned Lucknow Supergiants’ direction and team structure after their loss to Delhi Capitals, pointing to a lack of clarity on how the team is shaping up in IPL 2026. The criticism came after a six-wicket win for Delhi, featuring Sameer Rizvi’s unbeaten 70 and his decisive 119-run partnership with Tristan Stubbs, took the game away from LSG at the Ekana Stadium. Mukund admitted that he was not satisfied with Lucknow’s identity as a team, especially when compared to other relatively new franchises. “I am very unsure about LSG. They are a very young team in the IPL. So are the Gujarat Titans, who are slowly making their mark. They might have lost their first game (in 2026) but you know what Gujarat Titans will bring on a special day. “They are top-heavy. They rely on their bowlers. They rely on their experience in the middle in terms of their spinners. With Lucknow, you always feel like there is no identity within the team,” he told ESPNCricinfo. He highlighted what he sees as the key differences between the two sides. While Gujarat Titans have established a clear vision around their bowling power and spin resources, Mukund believes that Lucknow lack a defined style of play. According to him, LSG’s performances often depend on individual moments of excellence rather than organized systems. “You expect performances from the top, you expect sudden performances, like Mark Wood sometimes coming up and taking five wickets. You want those individual standout performances to push your team forward. It has always been like that for Lucknow.” Mukand also expressed concern over the team’s balance and selection decisions in the match. “Even today, I felt the balance of the team was very bad, seven batsmen and four bowlers. And then you have to sacrifice what you found last season. I know he wouldn’t have done that with the best domestic season. He’s not among the wickets. “He hasn’t had a great domestic season but that doesn’t mean – you drop Ravi Bishnoi, which means you trust Digvesh Rathi and say ‘OK, you’re my number one spinner and you don’t play him first,'” he noted. With LSG already facing questions after their opening defeat, Mukand’s remarks indicate growing concerns about the team’s balance, clarity of selection and overall identity as the season begins.
