Delhi: Rishabh Pant clarified why he did not come out to bat during Lucknow Super Giants’ seven-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2026 clash at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on Friday. Despite Lucknow losing three wickets after a massive 135-run opening partnership between Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis, Pant remained in the dressing room and did not bat for the first time this season. The LSG skipper said the decision was taken to provide opportunities to players who had not received enough chances during the tournament. “See, I was ready to bat, and the idea came up. Why not try players who have not played much and haven’t got enough opportunities?” Pant said during the post-match presentation. He added that while he personally wanted to go out and bat, he also had to “respect some things for the think tank.”
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Lucknow comfortably chased down the 188-run target, thanks largely to Mitchell Marsh’s explosive 90 off 38 deliveries and Josh Inglis’ solid contribution at the top. Nicholas Pooran later finished the match in style. Pant, who has batted mostly at No. 3 and No. 4 this season, also spoke about Lucknow’s experimentation with opening combinations. The franchise had previously tried several partnerships before settling on Marsh and Inglis.
“The only thing that can harm us is having too many thought processes,” Pant remarked, expressing frustration over inconsistent implementation of plans despite the team’s strong potential. The victory strengthened Lucknow’s campaign as they continue their push towards the IPL playoffs.
