Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar heaped rich praise on Mohsin Khan following his sensational spell for Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2026 clash against Kolkata Knight Riders.
Despite ending up on the losing side after a dramatic Super Over finish, Mohsin delivered a standout performance, returning with figures of 4-1-23-5, the first five-wicket haul of the ongoing IPL season. His fiery spell put LSG in control for the majority of the contest before KKR staged a late comeback to force a tie and eventually clinch the win.
“It’s been a long time, and it’s just a matter of regaining that prime fitness. Because he is one player with that particular skillset that we do not really have that much in quantity in terms of the Indian talent. We have plenty of batters, but one thing that we lack is a left-arm variety,” Sanjay Bangar told ESPNcricinfo.
The left-arm pacer set the tone early with a wicket maiden and struck again during the powerplay, consistently troubling the KKR batters with his discipline and aggression. He continued to chip away with crucial breakthroughs, including the dismissal of Cameron Green, who scored a brisk 34 off 21 balls. At one stage, KKR were reeling at 73/6 when Mohsin completed his spell.
“I believe if you look at the pack that we have, in terms of the left-arm seamers, he impresses the most because the extra bounce that he gets, the ability to hit that length, and he’s got a heavy ball, that’s what they always say. So he’s got all the makings of a wonderful left-arm seamer, and that is something the selectors should be keenly watching,” he concluded.
Mohsin’s impact extended into the middle overs as well, where he returned to break any rebuilding effort from KKR, picking up two more wickets in a crucial phase and keeping the opposition under constant pressure.
The performance marked a strong comeback for the young pacer, who had been sidelined by injuries after an impressive debut season in 2022. Bangar highlighted the importance of Mohsin’s skillset in the current Indian pace landscape.
However, despite Mohsin’s heroics, LSG failed to close out the game as KKR held their nerve in the final moments and edged the Super Over to register a thrilling victory.
