Jaipur, May 20 (IANS) Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant delivered a blunt and straightforward assessment after his side’s seven-wicket defeat to Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium on Tuesday, insisting that his side remains ‘a f***ing good team’ despite slipping to another high-scoring loss in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.

LSG, though eliminated from the play-offs race, posted a formidable 220/5 in 20 overs on a batting-friendly surface, but Rajasthan Royals overhauled the total in just 19.1 overs, as Donovan Ferreira’s late strike sealed the chase at 225/3.

Despite the defeat, Pant remained firm in his belief in the squad’s quality and character, stressing that results do not define their internal confidence.

“We are proud as a team regardless of what our situation is right now. The kind of team we have, we know we can win this. Regardless of anything, we are confident enough as a team and as individuals. It hasn’t gone our way, and everyone knows that, but that doesn’t take away the fact that we are a f***ing good team,” the LSG skipper said after the loss.

While acknowledging the opposition’s quality of execution, Pant felt his side missed out on a slightly higher total after a strong start.

“I think there are a few ways to look at it. In the middle overs and then in the last over, the way Archer bowled, I think it was really good. But we could have actually scored five or ten runs more on this kind of wicket when you get that kind of start, and we just couldn’t capitalise in the last over,” Pant said.

On the broader challenge of defending totals on such surfaces, Pant highlighted the limited margin for error and the importance of simplicity in execution under pressure.

“It’s definitely a difficult one for sure because you always want to back your bowlers, but sometimes it’s hard. On a wicket like this, there is less margin for the bowlers, and having too many suggestions doesn’t work out. Sometimes you have to keep a simple plan, keep focusing on one ball at a time, and just try to execute the plan,” he added.

Pant also pointed to the value of experience in crunch situations, noting how difficult it is to replace seasoned performers in high-pressure phases of the game.

“Experience is something you’re always going to miss, regardless of whether things go good or bad, because experience can’t be earned overnight. It takes years for people to gain that experience, and definitely in pressure situations, that is one thing which keeps you ahead for sure,” he said.

Discussing a key tactical decision, Pant defended the timing of introducing Shahbaz Ahmed into the attack, explaining the match-up considerations that influenced the call.

“Definitely because of the left-handers. They had been batting for a brief period of time and exposing a left-arm spinner; we didn’t want that, especially because Rathi was there in the side, so why take a chance on Shahbaz when Rathi is there in the side?” he explained.

–IANS

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