Rishabh Pant Opening Labelled as 'Horrendous' Strategy After DC Beat LSG in IPL 2026 Match: 'Don't Understand...'

IPL 2026, LSG vs DC: Rishabh Pant opened the batting and did not go off as planned as he perished for seven off nine balls. Pant perished in the most unlucky manner possible. He was runout at the non-striker's end after Mitchell Marsh hit a ball that clipped the bowler, Mukesh Kumar, on his follow through and went on to hit the stumps. Pant did the right thing by backing up but unfortunately, he could not get back in time and had to make the long walk back. 

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'It's a horrendous strategy'

The LSG management is now facing immense backlash for opening the innings with Pant. Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth labelled the move as ‘horrendous’. 

"They have so many coaches like Justin Langer, Kane Williamson, Tom Moody, and Bharat Arun for strategizing. What did you all strategize? Is opening with Rishabh Pant your strategy? It's a horrendous strategy. What was the idea behind that decision? I don't understand why Rishabh Pant opened," Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel. 

‘Batting lineup is very ordinary’

Srikkanth also reckoned the LSG batting line-up is too ‘ordinary’. 

"People talk about their bowling, but even their batting lineup is very ordinary. Pant played only one good knock last year, and he hasn't done well in the IPL over the last few years. Marsh is an extremely hit-and-miss batter. Markram and Pooran are not bad. But apart from these four, there is nothing. Other sides have solid batting till No.6. Here you can't say that. Abdul Samad did nothing much last year," Srikkanth added. 

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Lucknow will now take on Hyderabad in their next clash on April 5.