Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant spoke about his batting position ahead of the IPL 2026 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The wicketkeeper-batter 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 elected to bowl first. The visiting team made one change to their lineup, with Manimaran Siddharth coming in for Anrich Nortje. Meanwhile, England all-rounder Liam Livingstone made his debut for the Hyderabad-based franchise, while Harshal Patel was recalled to the playing XI.
We’ll See, We’ll See – Rishabh Pant Unsure About His Role
After winning the toss, Rishabh Pant stated that restricting the Sunrisers Hyderabad batters early is a priority. He believes chasing a target gives his team a clear advantage.
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“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 on coming here every year, that’s not a new challenge. But at the same time, this is one team which can hurt you well. But at the same time, whoever plays the better cricket will win.”
Pant said that the surface looks good for batting but expects the pitch to slow down after the powerplay. He revealed that the team management is unsure about his position as an opener.
“(On the conditions) It looks like a good wicket for sure. But at the same time, there is something in the wicket. After the powerplay, I think it might stick into the wicket as much. The ball will get older and it’s going to be harder to score. Just one change, Sid (Manimaran Siddharth) comes in for Nortje. (Will you open today?) We’ll see, we’ll see.”
More to follow…
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