Lucknow Super Giants have struggled to reach their usual standards in IPL 2026, and captain Rishabh Pant was the first to acknowledge it at the toss for their Monday clash against Mumbai Indians at Wankhede Stadium. With the team sitting at the bottom of the points table after eight matches, Pant made it clear that Lucknow’s path to the playoffs is extremely demanding from here on.
Key takeaways
- Rishabh Pant admitted Lucknow Super Giants have not performed to expectations in IPL 2026 during the toss.
- LSG are placed last in the standings, having managed only two wins from eight games.
- To keep qualification alive, Lucknow need to win all of their remaining fixtures, Pant said.
- Rishabh Pant noted that the team’s struggles have weighed on franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka, who is deeply invested in the side.
- For the Mumbai Indians match, Josh Inglis replaced George Linde in the playing XI.
Pressure on Lucknow—and the message to respond
Speaking at the toss, Pant pointed out that the season has been difficult across the board, but he singled out the emotional impact on their owner. He said Sanjiv Goenka’s involvement and passion for cricket and the franchise have made the downturn feel particularly hard for the management as well.
Pant also stressed that the team is looking to correct course immediately. According to the captain, Lucknow want to get the details right from this point onward and produce steady performances that bring back joy for the owner and the fans.
“It’s been a tough season for us, and there is no running away from that,” Pant said at the toss. He added that Goenka has been the one most affected by the difficult stretch, describing him as deeply committed to cricket and the team. Pant then acknowledged that the side has let supporters down, and said the break has to be used to return with maximum effort.
Reflection after Ekana and Pant’s own run
LSG were back on the field after a week, and Pant was open about the internal review that followed their previous result. He referenced the Super Over defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders at Ekana, saying the squad has spent time reflecting on what they could improve both as a team and as individuals.
Turning to his own form, Pant revealed that his IPL 2026 campaign has not gone as he would have liked. He has scored 189 runs in eight matches, and it is the second consecutive season where the left-handed batter has failed to deliver the breakthrough impact expected for Lucknow.
Before IPL 2025, Pant had become the most expensive player in the tournament’s history when LSG bought him for INR 27 crore—an investment that has now come under sharper scrutiny as the team’s results have stalled.
Team news: changes for the Wankhede contest
Ahead of the match against Mumbai Indians, Lucknow Super Giants made two changes. In the playing XI, Josh Inglis was handed a spot in place of George Linde, giving Lucknow a slightly different look for the Wankhede encounter.
