Simon Doull labels Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran as ‘₹50 crore frauds’

Former New Zealand fast bowler Simon Doull criticized Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant and star batter Nicholas Pooran for their poor performances in the IPL. Doull stated that the franchise spent nearly Rs 50 crore on the two batters, who have managed to deliver just one win in the tournament.

Lucknow Super Giants are currently in ninth place on the IPL points table, and their chances of qualifying for the playoffs are in jeopardy. The team has secured two wins and suffered four defeats, earning just four points from six matches. Their top-order batters have struggled consistently in the season.

Rishabh Pant Has Won Them One Game With the Bat - Simon Doull

Speaking on Cricbuzz, Simon Doull criticized these big investments after their continued poor performances. Doull also pointed out Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, and Mitchell Marsh as the main reasons behind the team’s struggles.

“Pant has won them one game with the bat and nothing outside of that. You have spent 50 crores on two players, Pant and Pooran, who have won you one game. Almost half your purse on two players who have won you one game,” Doull stated.

“Their biggest issue is the three overseas players. You have got three overseas batters in your top five. One of them, Markram, has put in a couple of performances. Marsh has not done a lot, and Pooran has done absolutely nothing. That is your biggest issue,” he added.

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They Are Trying to Free Badoni Up by Promoting Him - Simon Doull

Lucknow Super Giants spent Rs 27 crore to sign Rishabh Pant, making him the highest-paid player. The franchise also retained West Indies batter Nicholas Pooran for Rs 21 crore. Pooran has scored just 51 runs in six innings, with an average of 8.50 and a strike rate of 79.68.

The Super Giants have tried multiple opening combinations. They tried Rishabh Pant, Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, Ayush Badoni, and Nicholas Pooran as openers. Simon Doull stated that the management promoted Ayush Badoni to give him more freedom.

“They have basically come out and said that Ayush Badoni is going to open now. They are trying to free Badoni up by making him open up top. That is the call,” Simon Doull added.

They Are Just Unsure About Their Batting Order - Simon Doull

Simon Doull said that making such drastic changes so early shows a lack of confidence within the team. He compared Lucknow Super Giants with successful teams in the tournament and said that relying too much on an overseas-heavy top order is not an effective strategy.

“They are just unsure about their batting order. They have made the changes early in an attempt to find something,” Doull said.

“They are just unsure, and they would have been sure at the start of the season. But when you go game after game after game without a performance, then you have to think about it. So they have made the changes relatively early because they want players to find something. They want their team to find something. But when you are frontloaded with overseas batters and you look at the teams that are having success, why are they having success? They have got Indian batters,” he concluded.

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