Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant talked about his batting position ahead of the IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The wicketkeeper-batsman refused to confirm his batting position during the toss at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday, April 5.
Pant won the toss and decided to bowl first. The visiting team made three changes in its lineup. Manimaran Siddharth, Avesh Khan and Digvesh Singh Rathi replaced Ayush Badoni, Anrich Nortje and Mohsin Khan. For SRH, Liam Livingstone and Harshal Patel came in place of David Payne and Salil Arora.
We can put them under pressure in the second innings – Rishabh Pant
After winning the toss, Rishabh Pant said that the priority is to stop the Sunrisers Hyderabad batsmen early. He believes that chasing the target gives his team a clear advantage.
“We are looking to bowl first. The wicket is good, but at the same time, you know, their main strength is batting. So, let them bat first. We can put them under pressure in the second innings. We keep coming here every year, it is not a new challenge. But at the same time, this is a team that can hurt you well. But at the same time, whoever plays better cricket will win.”
We’ll see, we’ll see – Rishabh Pant is unsure about his role
Rishabh Pant said that the surface looks good for batting but he expects the pitch to slow down after the powerplay. He revealed that the team management is unsure about his status as an opening batsman.
“(On the conditions) it definitely looks a good wicket. But at the same time, there is something in the wicket. After the powerplay, I think it might stick in the wicket. The ball will get old and it will be tough to score. Just one change, Sid (Manimaran Siddharth) comes in for Nortje. (Will you open today?) We’ll see, we’ll see.”
Rishabh Pant’s opening experiment fails in LSG’s season opener
Rishabh Pant opened the innings for Lucknow Super Giants along with Mitchell Marsh in the first match of the tournament against Delhi Capitals. However, he failed to make an impact and was run out after scoring seven runs off nine balls. Marsh’s shot hit the hands of Mukesh Kumar at the non-striker’s end and hit the stumps.
Pant’s early dismissal cost Lucknow Super Giants as the team struggled to build momentum and were eventually bowled out for 141 runs. Despite the initial challenge, Delhi Capitals easily chased down the target with six wickets remaining in the 18th over.
Pant’s batting position remains uncertain, as he has played a number of roles up the order since joining the team in 2025. He had a disappointing IPL 2025 season, averaging less than 25 and scoring only two half-centuries in 14 matches.
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