Cricket
Rishabh Pant has stepped out of his usual middle-order role. LSG surprised everyone by promoting him up the batting order, a move no one expected.
Pant said the new batting order puts Pooran in the middle overs while he moves up, aiming for a left-right opening pair to counter early left-arm spin.
He added that promoting Ayush Badoni was a planned move to provide stability, especially if early wickets fall.
Batting higher up means Pant faces the best bowlers right away. This tests if he can handle pressure and score quickly at the start.
LSG’s plan at the top didn’t work, as they were bowled out for 141 in 18.4 overs. Abdul Samad scored 36 and Marsh made 35, but they couldn’t build strong partnerships. Pant admitted their batting fell short on a good pitch.
This experiment might shape Pant’s role for the rest of IPL 2026. LSG now must decide whether to stick with the new strategy or return to their old approach.