New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) Former South Africa pacer Dale Steyn offered a critical assessment of Ekana’s surface, pointing towards inconsistent selection calls and the dip in form of key batter Nicholas Pooran as underlying issues after Lucknow Super Giants’ struggles at home continued with a 40-run defeat to Rajasthan Royals, marking their third consecutive loss at home.

Head coach Justin Langer attributed the latest setback to the team’s inability to adjust to local conditions, describing the surface as a "brilliant cricket pitch" but stressing that the players failed to adapt effectively. LSG's batting order has seen frequent reshuffling this season. In the latest game, Mitchell Marsh opened alongside Ayush Badoni, while Aiden Markram, who had previously opened, was pushed down to No. 4, following Rishabh Pant and Pooran.

The constant tinkering, particularly in the middle order, has disrupted continuity, with players adjusting to unfamiliar roles. Steyn believes the uncertainty stems largely from the team management’s dilemma over Pooran’s form and place in the XI.

"Pooran is the catalyst in this. The poor form of Pooran just means that you're moving good batters (around) to try and shepherd him. Because I think there's a seed of doubt in the coach's minds that they know they need to play him because of what his potential is,” Steyn told ESPNCricinfo.

Elaborating further, Steyn suggested that this lack of decisiveness is affecting the overall structure of the batting lineup, forcing proven performers to shift positions in search of balance.

"But when he doesn't score runs, you need somebody in there. So Markram is getting thrown from where he should be as an opening batter to the middle order. Because they just want that stability over there. But they're too scared to drop Pooran because they don't have the faith in maybe somebody like a (Matthew) Breetzke to come in to the team,” he added.

With three losses in as many home games, LSG now find themselves under pressure to address both form and strategy, as questions continue to mount over their team combinations and decision-making in a tightly contested season.

--IANS

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