Watch: Rishabh Pant leaves field after picking hand injury during RCB vs LSG clash in IPL 2026

When the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) signed Rishabh Pant for a massive price during the previous season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), there was a massive expectation from the management and the fans to see the wicket-keeper batting putting up a strong performance with the ball and even with the leadership responsibilities. 

But things certainly didn’t go there away as Rishabh Pant could manage only 269 runs in the 13 innings of 2025 at an average of 24.45 and a strike rate of 133.16. Out of these, he smashed 118 runs in one innings which doesn’t give a good look to the LSG career.

Rishabh Pant leaves field with elbow injury against RCB in IPL 2026

In 2026, during Lucknow’s opening game against the Delhi Capitals at home, Pant decided to open the batting. However, due to the balance and combination of the side, he was pushed back at number three from the second fixture of the competition.

With the team coming off a massive defeat in the previous clash, there was pressure on the captain to put up a strong performance with the bat against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), especially at the MA Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which is renowned for the high scores and flurry of boundaries and over boundaries.

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But his fortune wasn’t with him. It was the fifth over against Josh Hazlewood. He tried to pull the length delivery for the first few ball, but the fourth delivery brought darkness. The southpaw went for the wild heave across the line as he ball went off the inside edge towards the keeper. But in this process, he bounced and hit his elbow. 

The physio was out as Pant looked uncomfortable in the middle. After a lots of spray and pain, the management decided to retire him out as he went off the fielder. Hazlewood, who himself had been making a comeback from the injury, back a pat on Pant’s back with the latter was almost in tears.

LSG crumble under pressure against RCB

In the 12th over, Lucknow lost four wickets, apart from Pant. Mitchell Marsh was decent for his 40 runs in 32 balls with the help of three boundaries and a pair of sixes before losing his stumps to the arm delivery of Krunal Pandya, who also dismissed Abdul Samad for a two-ball duck.

See Also: Watch: Mitchell Marsh smashes 102-m six during RCB vs LSG clash in IPL 2026

The middle order didn’t add anything as Nicholas Pooran went back for one run in seven balls. Ayush Badoni, who managed 29 runs in 17 balls, remained their only hope to shoulder them to a respectable score.

Brief Scores (at the time of writing): LSG- 112/4 (M Marsh 40, A Badoni 33*, K Pandya 2/38) vs RCB

Fans react to Pant’s injury against RCB in IPL 2026

Here is how the fans have reacted to Pant going off the field against RCB in the IPL 2026-