Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: A visibly shaken Rishabh Pant laid bare his frustration after his side’s dramatic batting collapse, admitting he had “no answers” following a crushing 40-run defeat in their IPL 2026 clash.Chasing a modest 160, Lucknow Super Giants folded for just 119, undone by a surface that offered movement and a disciplined bowling effort from Rajasthan Royals. Pant did not shy away from accountability, calling out the batting unit for failing to adapt.“I don’t have answers. Batting has let us down. We are disappointed as a team, as a group,” Pant said bluntly after the loss.‘No excuses… including myself’The skipper emphasised introspection over blame, making it clear that the responsibility lay within the dressing room.“You have to look for answers inside, not outside. We could have taken some time while batting. No excuses out there. Including myself, we could have taken it deeper. As a batting group, we have to put our hands up,” he added.Pant admitted that misreading the pitch played a significant role, with conditions favouring swing and seam making strokeplay difficult. Despite the setback, he tried to strike a positive note, pointing to the potential within the squad.“We have to look at positives. We have to keep our head high and look for answers inside. We have the firepower to turn the season around.”Ravindra Jadeja, RR bowlers seal the gameEarlier, Ravindra Jadeja played a decisive role with an unbeaten 43, anchoring Rajasthan’s innings on a tricky pitch. Jadeja acknowledged the challenge posed by the surface, saying it was important to bat deep as the ball was seaming and swinging. His calculated approach ensured a competitive total, which proved more than enough.Rajasthan skipper Riyan Parag revealed that the team had anticipated assistance from the pitch and praised the execution of bowlers like Jofra Archer and Nandre Burger.He also opened up about dealing with personal challenges, stating that the team has stood firmly behind him during a difficult phase.
