Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant didn’t dress his thoughts up after his side’s seven-wicket loss to Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Tuesday. Despite another chase-friendly game ending with LSG falling short, the captain was adamant that the squad’s belief remains intact, insisting they are “a f***ing good team” even as they slip further away from the play-off picture in IPL 2026. LSG posted a strong 220/5 in their 20 overs on a surface that helped batters, but Rajasthan chased it down comfortably in 19.1 overs, finishing on 225/3 with Donovan Ferreira’s late strike sealing the outcome.
Speaking after the match, Pant struck a confident tone about the group’s mindset. He acknowledged that the results have not gone their way, but argued that one defeat cannot erase the team’s internal standards or confidence. “We are proud as a team regardless of what our situation is right now. The kind of team we have, we know we can win this. Regardless of anything, we are confident enough as a team and as individuals. It hasn’t gone our way, and everyone knows that, but that doesn’t take away the fact that we are a f***ing good team,” the LSG captain said.
While addressing what might have been, Pant also gave credit to Rajasthan’s execution. He felt LSG’s batting could have been even more punishing after a solid start, especially on a wicket of this nature. In his view, the bowling spells in the middle overs and again in the final over were particularly effective from the Royals, but the Super Giants still left runs out there. “I think there are a few ways to look at it. In the middle overs and then in the last over, the way Archer bowled, I think it was really good. But we could have actually scored five or ten runs more on this kind of wicket when you get that kind of start, and we just couldn’t capitalise in the last over,” Pant said.
On the challenge of defending totals on batting-friendly tracks, Pant underlined how slim the margin becomes when runs are flowing. He stressed that trying to do too much in the heat of the moment can backfire, and that sticking to a clear plan ball-by-ball is often the best approach. “It’s definitely a difficult one for sure because you always want to back your bowlers, but sometimes it’s hard. On a wicket like this, there is less margin for the bowlers, and having too many suggestions doesn’t work out. Sometimes you have to keep a simple plan, keep focusing on one ball at a time, and just try to execute the plan,” he added.
Pant also pointed to the importance of experience when matches tighten in the final phases. He suggested that teams can’t instantly replace the calm and know-how that seasoned players bring under pressure. “Experience is something you’re always going to miss, regardless of whether things go good or bad, because experience can’t be earned overnight. It takes years for people to gain that experience, and definitely in pressure situations, that is one thing which keeps you ahead for sure,” he said.
Finally, the captain defended a significant tactical call involving Shahbaz Ahmed’s introduction into the attack. Pant explained that the decision was shaped by match-up thinking, particularly the presence of left-handed batters at the crease and the risks of exposing a left-arm option. “Definitely because of the left-handers. They had been batting for a brief period of time and exposing a left-arm spinner; we didn’t want that, especially because Rathi was there in the side, so why take a chance on Shahbaz when Rathi is there in the side?” Pant explained.
