New Delhi: Visibly shaken after his team’s dramatic batting defeat, Rishabh Pant admitted that he has “no answers” after a disastrous 40-run defeat in IPL 2026.
Lucknow Super Giants were chasing a modest 160 but ended up scoring just 119, beaten by the playing field and disciplined bowling effort provided by the Rajasthan Royals. Pant did not shy away from responsibility, blaming the batting unit for failing to adapt.
“I don’t have an answer. The batting let us down. As a team, as a collective, we are disappointed,” Pant said bluntly after the loss.
“No excuses…including myself”
The captain emphasized introspection rather than blame, making it clear that the responsibility lies with the locker room.
“You have to look for answers within, not outside. We could have taken some time with the batting. There are no excuses from outside. Myself included, we could have gone deeper. As a batting group, we have to put our hands up,” he added.
Pant admitted that misjudging the pitch played a big role, with conditions conducive to swing and seams making batting difficult. Despite the setback, he tried to express a positive attitude and pointed out the team’s potential.
“We have to look on the bright side. We have to keep our heads high and look within ourselves. We have the ability to turn our season around.”
Ravindra Jadeja, RR bowler seals match
Earlier, Ravindra Jadeja played a decisive role with an unbeaten 43 to set the stage for Rajasthan’s innings in a tricky match.
Jadeja acknowledged the challenges posed by the ground and said batting depth is important when the ball is seaming and swinging. His carefully planned approach ensured a competitive overall finish, which proved to be more than adequate.
Rajasthan captain Riyan Parag revealed that the team had anticipated help on the field and praised the performance of bowlers like Jofra Archer and Nand Berg.
He also talked about dealing with personal challenges and said his team stood by him firmly during the difficult stages.
