“It’s been a tough season for us, and there is no running away from that, but one person for us who has had the most difficult time is our owner, Mr Goenka; he’s one of those guys,” Rishabh Pant stated, reflecting on the struggles faced by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during IPL 2026.
As of May 4, 2026, LSG has only secured two wins out of eight matches played, raising concerns about the team’s trajectory under Pant’s captaincy. His individual performance has also come under scrutiny; he has scored 204 runs across nine matches, with a highest score of 68 not out.
The current situation has prompted former players to suggest that LSG should consider removing Pant from his captaincy role. Manoj Tiwary noted, “Rishabh Pant should be released from captaincy pressure,” indicating that the burdens of leadership might be hindering his batting capabilities. Tiwary further commented, “I feel that, under the pressure of captaincy, we are losing Pant the batter.”
The team’s poor performance contrasts sharply with recent successes in other domains; Sanjiv Goenka expressed optimism regarding West Bengal’s future following the BJP’s significant victory in the recent assembly elections. The BJP secured over 205 out of 294 assembly seats in West Bengal elections held in April 2026.
LSG’s next match is scheduled against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) on May 7, 2026. This upcoming game represents an opportunity for Pant and his team to turn their season around and alleviate some of the mounting pressure.
