‘Batting let us down, I don’t have answers’: Pant reflects on LSG’s fourth straight defeat in IPL 2026

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant had no answers to his side’s shallow performance against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday (Apr 22) in IPL 2026. Conceding their fourth straight loss this season has pushed LSG down to ninth position on the points table, with five defeats in seven contested matches. Chasing a moderate 160 at home, Lucknow got off to a shaky start, losing three wickets, including Pant on a second-ball duck, inside the first three overs; eventually surrendering by 40 runs in a lop-sided show.

“I don't have answers. Batting has let us down. We are disappointed as a team, as a group,” Pant said of his team’s loss against RR.

LSG bowled first after winning the toss, with ace quick Mohammed Shami doing the early damage with two quick wickets. Mohsin Khan, bowling the third over, did an unthinkable, by sending six dot balls against the dangerous Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, later removing him on the final delivery on a rare single digit score (8).

While the wickets kept tumbling at the other end, Ravindra Jadeja stood his ground and scored an unbeaten yet valuable 49 to help his team post 159 for six in 20 overs.

LSG never got going in the run chase. Despite a change at the top, they failed to click against the new ball, with RR seamers reducing them to 11 for three inside the Powerplay, and 54/4 in the 10th over. Spiritless batting in the middle overs pushed them down and out of the chase, with RR winning by 40 runs.

“You have to look for answers inside, not outside. We could have taken some time while batting. No excuses out there. Including myself, we could have taken it deeper. As a batting group, we have to put our hands up. [Bowling] We have to look at the positives. We have to keep our heads high and look for answers inside. We have the firepower to turn the season around. Thanks for being soft today [to the commentators],” Pant continued.