- Mumbai Indians chased down the 229-run target with eight balls remaining.
- Manoj Tiwary criticized Rishabh Pant’s captaincy and tactical choices.
- Tiwary questioned why Arjun Tendulkar was not given an opportunity.
Rishabh Pant LSG IPL 2026 Struggles: Lucknow Super Giants endured another setback in the Indian Premier League, suffering a surprising defeat against Mumbai Indians (MI) despite posting a formidable total. Batting first, LSG piled up 228/5, a score that seemed more than enough on most occasions. However, Mumbai produced a stunning chase, powered by explosive knocks from Ryan Rickelton (84) and a returning Rohit Sharma (83), sealing a six-wicket win with eight balls remaining.
Tiwary Questions Pant’s Tactical Calls
The loss has sparked criticism, with former India batsman Manoj Tiwary openly criticized Rishabh Pant’s captaincy, speaking on Cricbuzz, and also questioned the southpaw for not bringing in fast bowler Arjun Tendulkar.
“Pant is also losing out on tactical moves. In the match against Mumbai, Prince Yadav was the only economical bowler, and that was because he was executing yorkers. As a captain, you should have told the other bowlers to follow that plan.”
“I even saw videos on social media, posted by LSG, showing Arjun Tendulkar bowling yorkers in the nets. So Pant could have brought him in. This is where MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma are different as captains,” he added.
The young pacer, previously part of Mumbai Indians and son of legendary Sachin Tendulkar, was traded ahead of the IPL 2026 auction but has not been included in the playing XI so far.
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Arjun Tendulkar’s IPL Stats
Arjun Tendulkar made his IPL debut back in 2023 back for MI under Rohit Sharma, and despite being given limited chances, had a decent run.
He played a total of four games that year, conceding 92 runs in 59 balls, and taking 3 wickets. The following year saw him play just one match for the five-time champions, in which he went wicketless, and conceded 22 runs in 14 balls.
