LSG need to return to their original batting spots again.
Among many baffling decisions LSG have made this year, opening with Ayush Badoni might be the worst. With Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran struggling, Badoni is their only genuine middle-order batter who could actually play the situation. Then, LSG also broke one of the few top things from last season – the opening pair of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh.
Even if Badoni scores at the top, the batting lineup doesn’t get enough optimisation, with so many batters already batting out of position. They need to revert to the working top three of Markram, Marsh, and Pooran. Pant can take the No.4 slot, followed by the likes of Badoni and Mukul Choudhary.
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LSG have a near non-existent middle order in IPL 2026, with several out-of-form batters. KKR have a quality spin attack, and even Varun Chakravarthy has regained his form in the recent few matches. Hence, they will pose a massive threat with the ball.
If Badoni opens, LSG’s middle order will look like: Pant, Pooran, Markram, and Mukul, all of whom are susceptible to spin. Pooran has lately developed spin issues, while Pant has perennial problems. Markram has not been at his best against spin, and his value anyway goes down outside the opening spot.
Since 2025, he has averaged 31.52 and a strike rate of just 130.78 outside the opening spot. His record against Varun and Narine is not too encouraging either: Varun has dismissed him six times in 83 balls, while Narine has removed him once, but the batter has struck at just 92.15 against him. Then, KKR also have Anukul Roy as an SLA, a bowling type against which Markram doesn’t have a good historical record.
So, if he bats in the middle order, the LSG batter will face a massive threat with a spread field. Hence, Markram should open the innings and exploit a vulnerable pace attack of KKR in the powerplay. The Knight Riders have the second-worst average (71) and worst economy rate (11.83) in the first six overs this season.
Hence, LSG should shift him to the top spot and allow him to maximise his strength. Even if KKR employ spin in the powerplay, Markram will be better equipped to handle them in field restrictions. All in all, his value in the middle overs will be minimal against a strong spin attack.
If Ayush Badoni shifts to the middle order, LSG will get a solid spin player when the field is spread. As mentioned, the whole lineup is susceptible to spin, and Badoni remains one of their better options. He can also be promoted or demoted based on the match situation.
Since 2025, Badoni has had a strike rate of 135.11 and a balls-per-boundary ratio of 7.70 against spin outside the powerplay in IPL. While these numbers are not great, he is still a better bet than out-of-form Pooran and ever-struggling Pant. Even Mukul is untested against quality spin and has shown some issues in the early stages.
In general, Ayush Badoni has decent skills against spin and will be better suited to the middle overs than Markram. It’s more about making sure to give every batter their adequate spots. Ayush Badoni is surely a better option in the middle order and just the cushion other batters need at the moment.
If he plays, LSG should form their batting lineup like this: Pooran, Pant, Badoni, and Mukul. This gives them the variety and a good spin-hitter with decent skills against pace in the form of Badoni. Pooran will also get his best spot at No.3.
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