Expectations were high when Rishabh Pant walked out to open for Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL 2026 opener but things did not go as planned. Leading the side this season, the 28 years old wicketkeeper-batter had a disappointing outing against Delhi Capitals in Lucknow on April 1.
Rishabh Pant, who became the most expensive player in the IPL history after being bought for Rs 27 crore in the IPL 2025 mega auction, could manage only 7 runs off 9 balls. His innings came to an unusual end in the third over when he was run out at the non-striker’s end by Mukesh Kumar, cutting short what fans hoped would be a strong start.
This early dismissal quickly drew attention online. Many fans expressed frustration, especially because Rishabh Pant had also struggled in the IPL 2025. His decision to change the opening combination became a major talking point, as he broke the earlier pairing of Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram. Supporters felt the move did not work and questioned the choice after another missed opportunity with the bat.
Here are few selected reactions:
https://x.com/Devendra786s/status/2039367910439985488
https://x.com/vicabc/status/2039367825983414564
https://x.com/ajs__x/status/2039365207265620070
https://x.com/Sumittt_0707/status/2039347861046092080
https://x.com/TheBuzzFilter/status/2039349257883541872
https://x.com/MStark_56/status/2039593201045246077
https://x.com/theboysthing07/status/1904191986388869238
The problems did not end with Rishabh Pant. Aiden Markram, coming in at No. 3, also failed to make an impact and scored just 11 runs from 8 balls. Ayush Badoni, batting at No. 4 for Delhi Capitals, was dismissed for a duck after facing three balls. Nicholas Pooran also had a quiet outing, scoring only 8 runs from 8 deliveries.
Delhi Capitals bowlers made the most of the situation. T Natarajan and Lungi Ngidi were the standout performers, picking up three wickets each, while Kuldeep Yadav chipped in with two wickets to keep Lucknow under pressure throughout the innings. Talking about the result, DC went on to win the match by 6 wickets.
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