Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) had a really disappointing IPL 2026 season, and the main reason behind finishing at the bottom of the table was the internal conflict. As soon as LSG’s season ended, captain Rishabh Pant stepped down as captain, and LSG has also accepted his resignation.
However, neither side has yet made any big statement regarding the situation, but it has now emerged that Tom Moody, director of cricket at Lucknow Super Giants, was behind Pant’s resignation. However, LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka wanted Pant to continue as captain.
Tom Moody behind Rishabh Pant’s decision to step down as LSG captain?
As revealed by Revsportz journalist Rohit Juglan, the team environment was not positive at all inside the Lucknow Super Giants camp throughout the IPL 2026 season. The support staff and captain were not on the same page, leading to a rift between them this season.
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Before the start of the season, Rishabh Pant was clear about his role in the batting order. He reportedly wanted to open the innings and stick to that position to build rhythm and consistency until Josh Inglis joins the franchise in the IPL 2026, but Tom Moody didn’t let that happen.
It is being said that several key decisions were influenced by Moody, especially around batting combinations and player roles, which created confusion and a lack of stability in the team. The journalist claimed that the LSG team was completely run by Moody throughout the 2026 season, and Pant had almost no power as a captain.
Rishabh Pant was a powerless captain!!
All the decisions regarding Rishabh Pant and his batting position were solely taken by the director of cricket. LSG had a star-studded coaching setup involving Moody as director of cricket, Kane Williamson as strategic adviser, Justin Langer as head coach, Lance Klusener as assistant coach, Bharat Arun as bowling coach, and Carl Crowe as spin bowling coach.
During the tournament, Pant many times expressed his frustration over so much noise and opinion inside the dressing room, but the real story is far more surprising. It is being said that the LSG support staff has cancelled Pant’s plans and strategies and his own batting-position decisions.
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Moody and the team often made the final call on batting positions, leaving Pant in difficult situations. There were also tactical disagreements during the tournament. The left-hander didn’t want certain players in the playing XI, but still, the team management drafted them.
Rift inside the coaching setup and dressing room
Even they didn’t allow the former skipper Rishabh Pant to take the decisions involving big-match situations, including how players like Nicholas Pooran were used in pressure games and strategies against spin attacks led by bowlers like Sunil Narine, which added to the tension inside the dressing room.
Pat was simply not allowed to bat at his preferred position and lead the team on his way. Even the Indian wicketkeeper-batter mid-season approached Sanjiv Goenka, and even he wanted him to continue as captain, but he was not allowed to do things in his way, and eventually, he resigned.
