Former RCB head coach Sanjay Bangar has advised Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant that if he has to maintain his composure, he should show off.
Under Pant’s captaincy, LSG is almost out of the playoff race in IPL 2026 and is currently on a six-match losing streak. Bangar’s comments came after LSG’s defeat to Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday.
Lucknow slipped to sixth consecutive defeat
LSG’s defeat to MI on May 4 has basically ended their chances of qualifying for the IPL 2026 playoffs. LSG batted first and got off to a good start courtesy Mitchell Marsh.
But the real massacre came from Nicholas Pooran. Pooran was promoted to No. 3 and was at his devastating best. The left-handed batsman scored 63 runs in just 21 balls and gave LSG a solid base till half of the innings.
Aiden Markram and Himmat Singh remained unbeaten, but given the starts they got, they could not take LSG to great heights. Mumbai, on the other hand, went on chasing 229 runs almost as if it was nothing.
Rohit Sharma and Ryan Rickelton both scored more than 80 runs in an impressive start of 143 runs. After his dismissal, MI’s middle order led by Naman Dhir led the most successful chase in the history of the franchise.
“First of all, you have to fake restraint” – Bangar
Sanjay Bangar was speaking to ESPN Cricinfo when he noticed Pant’s behavior while talking to broadcasters after the match. Bangar was asked whether Rishabh Pant looked like a captain who lacks ideas. He replied yes.
“Yeah, that’s it. Because, if you take that one inning out [Pant’s 68* vs SRH early in the season]I mean if you’re scoring runs, I think he’ll be much more clear in terms of his decision-making, one and also in what he’s communicating.”
“Because, it is really very important for a captain to maintain composure all around, you know you are boiling inside or hurting inside. But still, at the forefront, you have to really pretend to have a composure. And communicating with the broadcasters, from what we have seen from Rishabh Pant, that has been lacking so far.”
Also read: “We should have scored more runs”: Rishabh Pant blames batsmen for defeat against Mumbai Indians
Rishabh Pant’s poor form and LSG’s next match in IPL 2026
Just like in 2025, Pant is struggling for form in 2026 too. In 9 matches, he has scored 204 runs at an average of just 25.50.
His strike rate has been a very un-Panteesque 128.30. He has scored just one half-century with a high score of 68*.
LSG is now practically out of IPL 2026 and is no longer in the race for the playoffs. Their next match is against Royal Challengers Bangalore who will try to strengthen their playoff chances.
RCB are sitting firmly in second place and have defeated LSG once this season. The match will be held in Lucknow, so Rishabh Pant’s team will hope that they can create a stir on the RCB parade.
