Follow UsLucknow Super Giants (LSG) began their 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season with a loss against the Delhi Capitals (DC) in a closely fought thriller, where some of their key pace bowlers, including the likes of Mayank Yadav and Avesh Khan, were missing. Shardul Thakur, who came in as a late replacement for Mohsin Khan, did well to be amongst the wickets.
Australian all-rounder Mitch Marsh, who isn’t bowling in the tournament due to a back injury, felt that the absence of these players isn’t a reflection of the depth in LSG’s squad.
“Yeah, we have a few guys out, no doubt, but I think we have assembled a really solid squad," Marsh said ahead of Thursday's game in Hyderabad against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
"There is no doubt that in time we will welcome guys back into the team who have a bit of experience with the ball. But we certainly back our [current] bowlers to do the job. I don't see it as a lack of depth.”
Marsh also accepted that the SRH batting lineup will put LSG under pressure in Hyderabad, and his plan of defeating the Hyderabad side is just “scoring more runs than them.”
"We know they're going to come hard,” Marsh said.
“I think there are not many T20 teams in the world now that don't go hard from ball one and try to apply as much pressure as they can to a bowling team. So we know we're going to be under pressure at some point tomorrow night.
"The most important thing for us as a team is to focus on our strengths and what we are coming here to do and play our brand of cricket.
There's no doubt that the Sunrisers have put a lot of teams under pressure, but that's any team these days. It seems 230 is now the new par score at most grounds. We respect that they have a phenomenal batting lineup with a lot of power, but we're here to focus on our game and hopefully match with them."
LSG will take on SRH at the latter's home ground in Hyderabad on March 27 (Thursday).