LSG captain Rishabh Pant didn’t mince words after his team lost to Rajasthan Royals by seven wickets at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium. Even after crashing out of playoff contention, Pant made it clear he still believes in his team. “We’re a f***ing good team,” he said, refusing to let one more high-scoring defeat define them.
LSG actually put up a strong fight, posting 220 for 5 on a pitch where runs were flowing. But Rajasthan chased it down in just under 20 overs, Donovan Ferreira finishing things off with a late push.
Pant stood by his squad, brushing off the result. “We’re proud of who we are—no matter where we stand right now. This team, we know what we’re capable of. We have confidence, both as a group and as individuals. Sure, things haven’t gone our way, everyone can see that. But that doesn’t change the fact that we’re a f***ing good side.”
He gave credit to the Royals for their execution, admitting LSG missed out on a bigger score after a strong start. “There are different ways to see it. Archer bowled really well in the middle and the last over. But honestly, we should’ve got five or ten more runs on this wicket. We just didn’t capitalize at the end.”
Pant talked about how tough it is to defend big totals on batting-friendly tracks, especially for the bowlers. “It’s hard, honestly. You want to back your bowlers, but there’s barely any margin for error. Throwing around too many suggestions makes things confusing. Sometimes you just have to keep it simple—stick to your plan, focus on each ball, and hope to execute.”
He also highlighted how experience in big moments can’t be faked or fast-tracked. “Experience is always going to be missed, no matter if things are good or bad. It’s not something you can get overnight—it takes years. For sure, in pressure situations, experience is what keeps you ahead.”
When asked about bringing Shahbaz Ahmed into the attack, Pant explained his tactical thinking. “It was about the left-handers—they hadn’t been out there that long, and putting a left-arm spinner in at that point wasn’t ideal. Rathi was available, so why risk Shahbaz when we had Rathi ready?”
