In IPL 2026, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered their third consecutive home defeat, losing to the Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 40 runs. Coach Justin Langer attributed the loss to the players' inability to adapt to the pitch, while Faf du Plessis and Dale Steyn pointed to Nicholas Pooran's poor form as a significant factor. Pooran has struggled throughout the season, with a highest score of only 22 runs and a total of 73 runs at a strike rate of 82.02. This has forced the team to shuffle their batting order, moving Aiden Markram and others around to accommodate Pooran, which has disrupted their strategy. Langer expressed frustration over the batting lineup not performing as expected, especially given the caliber of players available. Despite strong bowling performances from Mohsin Khan and others, the team's batting inconsistency has left them in a challenging position, with Langer acknowledging the need for improvement as they navigate the season.