Amid a rocky start to the 2026 Indian Premier League, Lucknow Super Giants’ Director of Cricket Tom Moody has publicly reaffirmed his unwavering faith in star West Indian batsman Nicholas Pooran, predicting the explosive hitter will quickly shake off his current form slump and return to match-winning ways.
The 30-year-old Trinidadian powerhouse, who turned heads across the T20 world with a career-best campaign in last year’s IPL, has struggled to find his rhythm through the first four matches of the 2026 season. To date, Pooran has notched just 41 runs across four innings, posting a strike rate of just 85 – the lowest mark of any IPL batsman who has faced at least 30 deliveries this term. This underperformance stands in stark contrast to his 2025 output, where he piled up 527 runs at a blistering strike rate of nearly 197, cementing his reputation as one of the most dangerous finishers in the league.
Most recently, Pooran’s slump continued on Wednesday during LSG’s five-wicket loss to Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. In a surprising turn, the power-hitter managed only a single run from seven deliveries on a ground where he has historically dominated – boasting a career average of 74 and a strike rate of 218 at this venue.
Speaking after the defeat, Moody emphasized that Pooran is acutely aware of his slow start to the campaign, but that the entire LSG franchise remains fully confident in his ability to turn things around. The former Australian coach noted that the batting-friendly conditions at Chinnaswamy Stadium, from its generous outfield to its true batting surface, could be exactly the spark Pooran needs to regain his touch.
Moody doubled down on his support, pointing out that even world-class players go through brief lean patches, and that a return to form is only a matter of time. Citing the old adage that “class is permanent”, Moody warned opposing sides to prepare for an immediate counterpunch from Pooran, who is expected to bounce back to his destructive best in the coming fixtures.