"Marcus Stoinis as a pure batter has to bat higher" - Sanjay Manjrekar highlights LSG's mistakes after loss to CSK in IPL 2023

Former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) need to get their batting order right, first by giving all-rounder Marcus Stoinis enough deliveries to make an impact.

Stoinis tried hard to get going against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Monday, but couldn't quite get the job done, scoring just 21 runs off 18 balls.

Manjrekar reckons had he and explosive Nicholas Pooran batted a bit higher, they could have got enough deliveries to make an impact and chase down the mammoth target of 218.

Speaking on ESPNCricinfo after LSG's loss to CSK, here's what Sanjay Manjrekar had to say about the entry points of Marcus Stoinis and Nicholas Pooran:

"If Marcus Stoinis is playing as a pure batter, he has to bat higher. You may see Deepak Hooda gradually batting down the order. Even sending Krunal Pandya above Nicholas Pooran was a mistake. This really gave them a setback."

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Sanjay Manjrekar on Ravi Bishnoi's introduction

Although CSK scored a massive 217/7, wrist spinner Ravi Bishnoi was simply sensational once again, conceding just 28 runs in his four overs and picking up three big wickets. What shocked Sanjay Manjrekar was that Bishnoi was introduced into the attack as late as the 10th over.

The youngster broke the opening stand between Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway, but the damage had already been done by the CSK openers by then.

On this, Manjrekar stated:

"LSG opted to bowl first and when Ruturaj Gaikwad and Conway got going, they should have introduced Bishnoi earlier in the attack. Even Krunal Pandya bowled ahead of him. He was the last bowler they introduced.

"When you have a wicket-taker like Bishnoi, you need to introduce him early. Had that happened, maybe the result could have been different."

LSG seem to have all the ingredients for a solid T20 team, but it is their decision-making that's costing them at the moment.

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