Rishabh Pant (Image credit: BCCI/IPL)
NEW DELHI: Though Lucknow Super Giants registered a win over Chennai Super Kings on Friday at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, the dejection was clearly visible on captain Rishabh Pant’s face. After Nicholas Pooran went hammer and tongs in the 17th over, smashing four consecutive sixes off Anshul Kamboj to seal the chase for LSG, Pant quietly got up from his seat in the dugout and hugged his teammates. The victory was significant, but for an already-eliminated LSG side, it carried little meaning in the bigger picture.At the post-match press conference, Pant reflected on the disappointing IPL 2026 season despite the win. LSG have endured a poor campaign and are placed at the bottom of the table with just four wins in 12 matches and eight defeats. “It feels good. Getting a win definitely feels good. There are things we talk about, that there is a lot to play for, regardless of where our season ends. We take a lot of pride in playing this way,” Pant said.After Akash Singh claimed three wickets to help CSK restrict LSG to 187/5, the hosts produced a sensational chase, powered by Mitchell Marsh’s blistering 90 off 38 balls and Pooran’s late fireworks, to thrash CSK by seven wickets in just 16.4 overs.Akash, who was making his IPL debut, picked up three wickets, including the prized scalps of Sanju Samson, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Urvil Patel.Sharing the new ball with Mohammed Shami, Akash conceded seven runs in his opening over. In his second over, he dismissed CSK skipper Gaikwad for 13. He struck again in his third over, removing star batter Samson for 20. Pant then trusted him with a fourth successive over, and the young pacer responded by dismissing Urvil Patel for six.“(On Akash Singh) See, definitely he’s been working hard throughout IPL. You know that sometimes it’s harder to give everyone a game. But when people are preparing really well and he’s one guy, who stick to the plan more often than going anywhere else. So yeah, definitely it paid off. The way he bowled, stick to the plan for a longer period of time. That’s really good to see,” Pant said.Pant also opened up about the decision to send two overseas batters – Marsh and Josh Inglis – to open the innings, an experiment that paid rich dividends for LSG. The duo stitched together a solid 135-run opening stand.“(On the opening partnership – is this what they had in mind?) Definitely that was the first thought that, getting two overseas players to open the inning and Nicky batted number three. That was the idea, sometimes it’s difficult when thought process is not being implemented all the time. But at the same time we take pride and we are confident as a team. The only thing I would say is, it’s frustrating when you know what you have as a team, just because of little thought process here and there and you can’t implement things the way you want, things can happen,” Pant added.Asked whether LSG were close to cracking a successful formula at their home ground, Pant said:“(Do you think you’re close to cracking a formula for success at this home ground of yours?) We are working out and it’s been working for us, four fast bowlers, especially in the home condition, depending on the opposition we play, definitely works out for us. As at the same time, the team we have, I’m going to say this again, it’s so amazing. The only thing gonna can harm us [is] having too many processes,” he said.On batting lower down the order and not coming in earlier, Pant explained:“I was ready to bat and the idea came up, I was in the dressing room, the idea came in like, why not try players who have not played much, they haven’t got much chances. And that was the idea, I was thinking again and again, should I do it or not? Because I still wanted to be out there in the field, but sometimes you have to respect the think tanks decision. So that’s the thing.”LSG will next face Rajasthan Royals on May 23.
