Former South Africa and Mumbai Indians captain Shaun Pollock has criticized Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant for ruining the team leadership.
Pollock was reacting to Pant’s comments after LSG’s defeat to Kolkata Knight Riders on Sunday. The match went this way and that until it reached a stalemate.
Mohammed Shami’s six off the last ball ensured that the match would end in a tie and go into the Super Over. However, LSG’s batting deteriorated in the Super Over as Sunil Narine restricted them to just one run. KKR easily achieved the target of 2 runs.
After the match, Rishabh Pant said that a lot of voices were coming to his ears from behind.
“Working on the field does not become easier by applying too much brain” – Rishabh Pant
During the post-match presentation, Pant was asked about his decision to bowl Digvesh Rathi in the last over. Rathi gave 26 runs in the over and Rinku Singh hit 4 sixes in his over.
“Look, there are always times in cricket when you can make slight changes to the bowling at the same time. But sometimes bowlers have to bowl such difficult overs. And there will be times when I have to give him that chance in the middle overs because I was looking for wickets. I haven’t found one yet. This was the thought process behind it. And a lot of brains don’t make it easy on the ground,” he said.
Pant was referring to the decision to continue with the fast bowlers and dismiss in-form Mohsin Khan in the 11th over itself.
“He’s kind of under management” – Shawn Pollock
LSG’s backroom staff is just as star-studded as the team itself. With head coach Justin Langer, director of cricket Tom Moody, strategic advisor Kane Williamson, bowling coach Bharat Arun, assistant coach Lance Klusener and cricket consultant Adam Voges missing, LSG has been unable to produce noteworthy performances this season. In his own words, this is a cause of trouble for captain Rishabh Pant.
Shaun Pollock was speaking on Cricbuzz and responding to Pant’s comments, “It’s not really good that it’s coming from the captain because he’s basically saying that a lot of people are giving me information, and he’s kind of subordinate to the management group that he’s got. Maybe we don’t know how it works, that’s the problem. You don’t know who has the final decision, you don’t know who sits with them and gives them an understanding of what they’re doing.” Feel and discuss with him,” he said.
Also Read: Virender Sehwag openly calls Kane Williamson and Justin Langer ‘brainless’ amid LSG’s IPL 2026 horror show
Rishabh Pant and LSG are under pressure
After losing five consecutive matches, both captain Rishabh Pant and Lucknow Super Giants are under a lot of pressure. The team will travel to Mumbai to take on five-time champions Mumbai Indians on May 2.
LSG have won only two out of eight matches in IPL 2026, and both wins have come away from home. They will also get the services of Josh Inglis from their next match.