Rishabh Pant’s second campaign with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has quickly become a struggle, with the franchise sitting ninth in the IPL 2026 points standings. On Wednesday, LSG suffered their fifth loss in seven matches, going down to Rajasthan Royals (RR) by 40 runs. What followed the defeat was an unusually frank chat after the game, where former New Zealand batter and commentator Simon Doull probed Pant about what went wrong—while also pushing him to identify bright spots from the match. Pant, in typical fashion, responded with a playful jab of his own.
How LSG’s chase unfolded vs RR
- LSG entered their chase of 160 but stumbled early, with the top order unable to get going.
- Four LSG batters were dismissed for no score, leaving the innings on the back foot almost immediately.
- Ayush Badoni and Aiden Markram were also out for ducks, worsening the pressure on the team.
- By the time LSG were 11/3, their chase had already started to unravel.
- LSG were bowled out for 119, falling short by 40 runs.
Even with the batting collapse, Doull shifted the conversation toward what LSG could still take from the contest. He put particular focus on LSG’s bowling, which delivered key breakthroughs despite the chase not being completed. Mohsin Khan impressed with figures of 2/17, Prince Yadav struck for 2/29, and Mohammed Shami finished with 2/30.
During the post-match interaction, Pant acknowledged the need to stay positive. “We still want to look at the positives. We know we have the firepower and we want to believe in it,” Pant said. Doull then addressed Pant directly at the end of the discussion with a pointed line—“I know these ones aren’t easy, Rishabh”—as the conversation moved away from blame and toward belief.
Pant ended the exchange with a cheeky remark, adding with a wink, “Thanks for being soft today.”
Pressure grows on Pant after another rough outing
The loss adds to what is becoming a difficult stretch for Pant as both a batter and a captain. He continues to face scrutiny as he attempts to justify his Rs 27 crore price tag, which previously made him the most expensive player in IPL history. Across seven matches, Pant has managed 147 runs at a strike rate of 132.43, including just one half-century.
LSG’s broader batting troubles have also been evident beyond Pant. Nicholas Pooran’s form has been a major talking point, with the Trinidad international contributing only 73 runs in seven games at a strike rate of 82.02—one of the clearest signs that the rest of the batting unit has struggled to consistently deliver.
