Former India cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin criticised LSG for excluding all-rounder Ayush Badoni from several matches in IPL 2026. "Nicholas Pooran could not lay bat on ball the entire season, yet they backed [him] time and again," he said. Ashwin added, "Badoni got an India call-up yet sat out several matches for LSG. They had to give him a long run."